May 13, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

EDMONTON, AB – Matt Jeneroux, Conservative Shadow Minister for Health and Member of Parliament for Edmonton Riverbend, called on the federal government to delay its changes to the Patented Medicines Prices Review Board (PMPRB) regulations effective July 1, that will negatively impact the lives of Canadians who depend on medications.

The COVID-19 pandemic has already caused a drug shortage in Canada and the proposed changes will further exacerbate the situation. The PMPRB regulatory changes set aggressive price ceilings for some new therapies, especially those involving rare disorders, that make it almost guaranteed that these therapies will not be brought to the Canadian market.

“Over the past few months, I’ve been hearing from stakeholders and Canadians living with rare diseases that these changes will deter companies from offering their drugs on the Canadian market. If the Trudeau government proceeds with their plan, innovative and life-saving medications could be unavailable for Canadians,” said MP Jeneroux.

Since October 2019, more than 25 new medicines have been launched in the United States and none of them have been submitted to Health Canada for approval due to the uncertainty of the government’s upcoming regulatory changes.

MP Jeneroux has continually asked the Minister of Health about the plan and has written to her office to request a delay of the looming deadline.

“Going ahead with these changes will cause further drug shortages in Canada. The government needs to put patients first and delay their July 1 implementation date,” MP Jeneroux said.