CADTH has convened a pan-Canadian Advisory Panel on a Framework for a Prescription Drug List (the Panel). The Panel will provide recommendations on developing a potential pan-Canadian prescription drug list (or formulary). Stakeholder consultations are scheduled to take place in the fall and winter of 2021, leading to a final public report setting out the Panel’s non-binding recommendations in April 2022.

Mandate and membership of the Panel

According to CADTH, the Panel’s recommendations are intended to contribute to discussions on a potential pan-Canadian prescription drug list. The mandate of the Panel is to:

  • Recommend principles and a framework for developing a pan-Canadian prescription drug list;
  • Recommend an initial list of commonly prescribed drugs and a transparent way to add to that list; and
  • Consult key stakeholders and health system partners (including federal, provincial, and territorial governments), patients and clinicians, industry, and others.

CADTH will provide oversight and facilitate the work of the Panel, and selected its 14 members with advice and guidance from its federal, provincial, and territorial funders. A list of the Panel members is available on the CADTH website.

Stakeholder consultation

CADTH has indicated that the Panel’s process will include opportunities for stakeholders to provide input and feedback on its work. Consultation is expected to proceed in three ways:

  • CADTH will reach out to stakeholders to seek input and feedback during the process;
  • The Panel will host a three-part series of webinars from late October 2021 to early December 2021, allowing stakeholders to provide feedback specifically on proposed recommendations; and
  • Stakeholders will have the further opportunity to provide written submissions.

According to CADTH,

Progress reports will be produced and made public throughout the initiative. The Advisory Panel recommendations will be completed by the end of April 2022, and a report will be submitted to Health Canada, shared with provincial and territorial governments, and made publicly available.

More detailed information on the Advisory Panel and contact information can be found on the CADTH website.