Interim order on preventing and alleviating drug shortages in relation to COVID-19: Notice
Date published: October 19, 2020
The Interim Order Respecting the Prevention and Alleviation of Shortages of Drugs in Relation to Covid-19 was signed on October 16, 2020. This interim order (IO) provides more tools for urgently addressing drug shortages related to COVID-19.
Under certain conditions, the IO authorizes the Minister of Health to:
- require anyone who sells a drug to provide information relevant to a shortage or potential shortage of that drug related to COVID-19
- impose or amend terms and conditions on authorizations to sell drugs for the purpose of preventing or alleviating a drug shortage related to COVID-19
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Why the interim order was introduced
The COVID-19 pandemic has:
- caused an unprecedented demand for some drugs
- contributed to drug shortages in Canada
- posed a significant risk to the health of Canadians
How the interim order will address drug shortages in Canada
Reliable and timely information is required for Health Canada to act quickly and effectively to minimize the effects of these shortages on Canadians. Tools such as this new IO will better prepare Canada to respond to the imminent threat of drug shortages from a possible future resurgence of COVID-19.
The IO will allow the Minister to require any person who sells a drug to provide information about a shortage or potential shortage of that drug. The IO gives the Minister this authority if there are reasonable grounds to believe that:
- the drug is at risk of going into shortage or is in shortage
- the shortage is caused or made worse, directly or indirectly, by the COVID-19 pandemic
- the shortage poses a risk of injury to human health
- the requested information is necessary to identify or assess the shortage:
- why it occurred
- its effects on human health
- what measures could be taken to prevent or alleviate the shortage
- the person would not provide the information without a legal obligation
To prevent or alleviate a shortage, the Minister may also add or amend terms and conditions to an authorization to sell a drug. The Minister may do so if there are reasonable grounds to believe that:
- the drug is at risk of going into shortage or is in shortage
- the shortage is caused or made worse, directly or indirectly, by the COVID-19 pandemic
- the shortage poses a risk of injury to human health
If you have any questions, please contact us by email at: hc.prsd-questionsdspr.sc@canada.ca.
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