Federal Government Publishes Amendments Significantly Altering Canada's Patented Medicines Pricing Regime

On August 21, 2019, the Government of Canada published amendments to the Patented Medicines Regulations that set out the long-awaited framework applicable to the price regulation of patented drugs in Canada. The amendments will come into force on July 1, 2020, and the text can be found here.

Below is a brief background on the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board (the "PMPRB" or the "Board"), four key changes to the Regulations, including differences from the originally proposed text, and developments to watch for regarding the amendments.

1. Background on the PMPRB

The PMPRB is a quasi-judicial body established in 1987 under the Patent Act with the mandate of ensuring that prices charged for patented medicines sold in Canada are not excessive.