On November 27, 2020, the Minister of Health (the Minister) issued the Interim Order Respecting Drug Shortages (Safeguarding the Drug Supply) (the Interim Order), pursuant to s. 30.1(1) of the Food and Drugs Act.
Summary
The current
Health Canada finalizes regulations relating to sale of unapproved drugs for emergency treatment under the Special Access Program
Regulatory amendments to the Food and Drug Regulations (FDR) and the Natural Health Products Regulations (NHPR) were published in Canada Gazette (Part II) on October 14, 2020. We previously reported on these changes, which seek to
New Interim Order to address COVID-19-related drug shortages in Canada
On October 16, 2020, the Minister of Health (the Minister) signed the Interim Order Respecting the Prevention and Alleviation of Shortages of Drugs in Relation to Covid-19 (the IO), which introduces new tools for the Minister to address
New Interim Order to expedite the approval of COVID-19 drugs and vaccines
On September 16, 2020, the Minister of Health signed an Interim Order Respecting the Importation, Sale and Advertising of Drugs for Use in Relation to COVID-19 (the Interim Order) which provides new regulatory pathways to expedite the approval of
Ontario lifts recommendation to limit prescription dispensing to 30 days’ supply
We previously reported on the Ontario government’s efforts to manage the risk of drug shortages in the early days of the pandemic. Those efforts included a recommendation that pharmacies dispense no more than a 30-days’ supply of medication to patients
Health Canada amends regulations to permit distribution of OTC and NHP samples to general public
Health Canada has finalized amendments to the Food and Drug Regulations (FDR) and Natural Health Product Regulations (NHPR) to allow for the distribution of samples of non-prescription drugs (NPDs, or “over-the-counter” (OTC)
Health Canada releases Guidance Document addressing the Plain Language Labelling Regulations requirements for non-prescription drug products
Health Canada recently published a new Guidance Document that provides information on how Health Canada interprets and applies the 2014 Regulations Amending the Food and Drug Regulations (Labelling, Packaging and Brand Names of Drugs for Human Use) (colloquially known as
Health Canada issues Interim Order to address shortages of health products
Health Canada has published an Interim Order Respecting Drugs, Medical Devices and Foods for a Special Dietary Purpose in Relation to COVID-19 (the Interim Order). This Interim Order allows Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to address
Ontario introduces formulary changes for generic drugs to mitigate risk of drug shortages
On March 30, 2020, the Ontario government launched two one-day consultations on changes to regulations concerning the listing of generic drug products under the Ontario Drug Benefit Act (ODBA) and the Drug Interchangeability and Dispensing Fee Act (
Ontario and Quebec Introduce Changes to Pharmacy Practice and Highlight the Drug Supply Chain as an Essential Service
Changes Affecting Ontario
The Government of Ontario has made changes to the Ontario Drug Benefit (ODB) Program in an effort to reduce the risk of drug shortages in the province during the COVID-19 outbreak. Effective immediately, ODB eligible drugs are