‘An important step’: New Canadian Drug Agency announced

Canada will soon have a new agency to help make decisions and manage data around drugs. The Canadian Drug Agency was announced on Monday by the federal government. It will encompass the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH), and the federal government will develop it in partnership with the provinces and territories. The new agency’s creation will cost the government of Canada $89.5 million over five years, in addition to the $34.2 million a year it already spends on CADTH. The Canadian Drug Agency will continue CADTH’s work around health technology assessments, post-market safety and effectiveness. It will also cover the appropriate prescribing and use of medications and national data collection, including increasing access to drug and treatment data and real-world evidence. The government said having the federal agency will reduce duplication and improve coordination around drug systems. Read: CADTH to offer formulary management advice“There are too many barriers to accessing the prescription drugs Canadians need. At the same time, many Canadians are suffering from being overprescribed medicines that impact both their health and their wallet. The establishment of the Canadian Drug Agency is an important step in supporting the long-term sustainability of Canada’s drug system, improving data quality, and ultimately helping Canadians improve their quality of life and overall health,” Mark Holland, minister of health, said in a press release. The announcement came after consultations by the Canadian Drug Agency Transition Office with provinces, territories, and stakeholders about gaps in the current system. “We have made significant progress towards building the CDA in the past two and a half years. I would like to thank those who have participated in the engagements to date for their thoughtful advice on the establishment of a CDA,” said Susan Fitzpatrick, head of the Canadian Drug Agency Transition Office.Read: CADTH is launching a new Post-Market Drug Evaluation Program

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