On October 5, 2006, amendments to section C.08.004.1 of the Food and Drug Regulations and to the Patented Medicines (Notice of Compliance) Regulations (PM(NOC) Regs) came into force. Among the objects of the amendments are "to provide new drugs with an internationally competitive, guaranteed minimum period of market exclusivity of eight years" and the restoration of "the balanced policy underlying the PM(NOC) Regs by reaffirming the rules for listing patents on the register and clarifying when l