On December 18, 2023, the Minister of Health announced the creation of the Canadian Drug Agency. According to the announcement, the Canadian Drug Agency (CDA) “will provide the dedicated leadership and coordination needed to make Canada's drug system more sustainable and better prepared for the future, helping Canadians achieve better health outcomes.” It will be built from the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH), in partnership with provinces and territories. The CDA will build on CADTH’s mandate and functions, and will expand them, including improving appropriate prescribing and use of medications, and increasing pan-Canadian data collection and expanding access to drug and treatment data, including real-world evidence data.
Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact a member of the Life Sciences Regulatory & Compliance Group.
The preceding is intended as a timely update on Canadian intellectual property and life sciences regulatory law. The content is informational only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. To obtain such advice, please communicate with our offices directly.
Related Publications & Articles
-
2025 highlights in Canadian life sciences IP and regulatory law
In 2025, the Rx IP Update team at Smart & Biggar reported on a number of developments in Canadian life sciences IP and regulatory law.Read More -
New PMPRB Chairperson and PMPRB releases January 2026 NEWSletter
On January 29, 2026, the Minister of Health announced Anie Perrault, former Vice-Chairperson, as Chairperson of the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board (PMPRB) until August 9, 2028.Read More -
Canada’s Drug Agency announces consultation on streamlined review process and new reconsideration/resubmission procedures
On January 29, 2026, Canada’s Drug Agency (CDA) published Improvements to the Drug Reimbursement Review Process, which includes a section for consultation on proposed changes to the reimbursement re...Read More
