Commissioner Signals Interest in Innovation Issues

Sheridan Scott, the Commissioner of Competition, has recently stated that, together with Industry Canada and the Canadian Intellectual Property Office, the Competition Bureau has commissioned a review paper of several major issues arising at the interface between competition law and intellectual property law. This project will include a top level symposium early in 2007.

The issues identified by the Commissioner at this time will clearly be viewed as significant in a variety of industries that heavily invest in innovation. The issues under review include:

• Authorized generic drugs – the extent to which brand-name pharmaceutical companies have launched authorized generics, and the impact this may have had on the entry of other generics.