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Member, Beacon International Group, Ltd.
OTTAWACanada's federal health minister is proposing legislation that would allow the government to ban bulk exports of prescription drugs to the United States when necessary to protect the Canadian drug supply.
Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh said he intends to introduce legislation under the Food and Drugs Act that will allow the government to prohibit the bulk export of prescription and other needed drugs when necessary.
"In light of potential American legislation legalizing the bulk import of Canadian prescription and other medications, our priority must be the health and safety of all Canadians and the strength of our health care system," the minister said in a statement. "We must be proactive in making sure that the supply of affordable prescription medications remains stable and sufficient to meet the needs of Canadians."
Minister Dosanjh also wants to strengthen existing federal regulations governing the sale of prescription drugs in Canada to require an established patient-practitioner relationship. Cross-border drug sales often involve prescribing practices in which there is no clear patient-practitioner relationship, with Canadian doctors signing prescriptions for U.S. patients they have not examined.
The minister is also working with the provinces and territories and various stakeholders to establish a network that would provide Health Canada with comprehensive data on Canada's prescription drug supply.