Skip to main content

“I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.” ~~ John G. Diefenbaker

FRASER INSTITUTE -- Canada’s comparatively weak intellectual property protections limit access to life-saving drugs


Because Canada’s protection of intellectual property in the life sciences—including biology and biochemistry—lags behind other industrialized countries, Canadian patient access to potentially life-saving biologic medicines is comparatively limited, finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank.

 

“Cutting-edge biologic drugs are treating previously untreatable conditions, often with fewer adverse effects, improving the health of patients and saving lives worldwide,” said Kristina Acri, associate professor of economics at Colorado College, senior fellow at the Fraser Institute and author of Biologics and Biosimilars: A Primer.

 

According to the study, as of December 2018 (the latest month of comparable data), Canada has approved only 10 “biosimilars,” which are versions of biologic drugs, compared to 15 in the United States, 20 in Australia and 62 in the European Union.

 

Biologic drugs are produced from (or contain elements of) living organisms. They are more complicated—and more expensive—to develop, produce, distribute and dispense than other medicines.

 

Subsequently, the ability of drug companies to protect their intellectual property—for example, through data exclusivity, which essentially prevents competing firms from producing generic versions of the drugs for a period of time—is essential for incentivizing the development of biologics, particularly because biopharmaceutical innovations are easily copied and sold by competitors.

 

Unfortunately, Canada’s current intellectual property laws are weak compared to laws in other jurisdictions including the U.S. and EU. For example, Canada has one of the shortest terms of data exclusivity for pre-clinical and clinical trials.

 

“If Canadian policymakers want to improve access to state-of-the-art drugs in Canada, they must strengthen protections for intellectual property,” Acri said.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Abbotsford-Mission MLA Reann Gasper to step down for Conservative Leader Hon. Kerry-Lynne Findlay to run in a by-election

Deputy Whip and MLA Reann Gasper has informed the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia of her decision to step down as MLA for Abbotsford-Mission, creating an opportunity for Conservative Party of British Columbia Leader Hon. Kerry-Lynne Findlay to seek the seat in a forthcoming by-election. Gasper said the decision was made carefully and deliberately, with the future of British Columbia firmly in mind. Abbotsford-Mission MLA Reann Gasper “This is a decision I have made after a great deal of careful consideration, and I believe it is the right decision for me, for our Party, and for the work ahead,” said MLA Gasper. “It has been a privilege to represent the people of Abbotsford-Mission, and I am deeply grateful to everyone who placed their trust in me. I am also grateful for the opportunity to serve alongside my colleagues in the Conservative Caucus and to contribute to our leadership team.” “I have confidence in Kerry-Lynne, in her leadership, and in her ability to ...
Post a Comment
Read more

NDP Sits on $61 Million With No Start Date for Burnaby Hospital

Phase 2 of Burnaby Hospital redevelopment  was green lit to go ahead in September 2023 The NDP spent $45 million on the Burnaby Hospital redevelopment, cancelled the second phase, and now has another $61 million listed for the project in the province’s Public Accounts, with no start date for construction. If the NDP cancelled the project, what is happening to the $61 million set aside for it? The Phase 2 project was expected to cost between $1.7 billion and $1.8 billion and was intended to expand the hospital’s capacity. With Burnaby’s population growing and residents struggling to access healthcare, the government should be investing in healthcare capacity, not leaving millions of dollars tied up in limbo. “The NDP spent $45 million on this project before cancelling it, and now $61 million remains listed for it in the Public Accounts,” said MLA Misty Van Popta, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure. “If the government isn’t going to build the hospital expansion, it should explain whe...
Post a Comment
Read more

BC Conservatives Point to Warning Signs in BC’s Economy

While Canada posted modest job gains in July, warning lights are still flashing in British Columbia. Youth unemployment remains stubbornly high, leaving too many first-time jobseekers shut out of the workforce. BC also lost 3,400 public administration jobs in July, likely as temporary Census positions ended. “BC's jobs divide remains stark. Unemployment is far higher in business-driven communities like Kelowna (9.3%) and Abbotsford-Mission (8.3%) than in Victoria (5.0%). Government should be focused on creating the conditions for private-sector investment and job growth,” said Gavin Dew, MLA for Kelowna-Mission and Shadow Minister for Economic Development. “We need an economy where young people can find work, businesses can hire, and every region has the opportunity to prosper.” This comes as BC faces five straight quarters where more businesses are closing than opening, an NDP cabinet rift over job-creating projects like Tilbury LNG, and fresh signs that even the province's to...
Post a Comment
Read more

Labels

Show more