From Bloomberg:
Pfizer Inc., the world’s biggest drugmaker, failed to maintain its patent on the hypertension drug Norvasc in Canada after a federal judge granted Ratiopharm GmbH permission to sell a generic version of the medicine.
More than 7.8 million prescriptions of amlodipine besylate, marketed by Pfizer as Norvasc, are sold annually in Canada, Ulm, Germany-based Ratiopharm said today. A generic version probably will save Canadian patients about C$180 million ($155 million) a year, the closely held company said. Pfizer said it will appeal.
“We are extremely pleased at the decision by the Federal Court,” Jean-Guy Goulet, chief executive officer of Ratiopharm Canada, said in a statement. “This decision opens the amlodipine patent to generic manufacturers in Canada, the last major jurisdiction where the patent was held.”
Ratiopharm challenged the Canadian patent in 2004 and won in 2006. Pfizer successfully reversed the ruling on appeal. Ratiopharm then sued to invalidate Pfizer’s patent, with Judge Roger Hughes ruling in favor of Ratiopharm yesterday. ...more
Showing posts with label Canada. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Canada. Show all posts
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Canadians getting fleeced on generic drugs: report
From the Vancouver Sun:
Canadians are getting gouged more than ever on generic prescription drugs, a study by the Fraser Institute reported Monday.
The report's author called for reforms that would see consumers shopping around for the best drug prices.
The conservative think-tank found Canadian prices for generic - non-brand name, off-patent - medications are an average of 112 per cent higher than those in the U.S. In 2003, the Fraser Institute found prices here were 78 per cent higher than in the U.S.
At the same time, Canadian prices on brand-name drugs are an average of 53 per cent lower than American prices, a result of federal caps on drug costs.
The Fraser Institute report compared Canadian and American retail prices for a few hundred commonly prescribed drugs, half brand-name and the other half generics. ...more
Canadians are getting gouged more than ever on generic prescription drugs, a study by the Fraser Institute reported Monday.
The report's author called for reforms that would see consumers shopping around for the best drug prices.
The conservative think-tank found Canadian prices for generic - non-brand name, off-patent - medications are an average of 112 per cent higher than those in the U.S. In 2003, the Fraser Institute found prices here were 78 per cent higher than in the U.S.
At the same time, Canadian prices on brand-name drugs are an average of 53 per cent lower than American prices, a result of federal caps on drug costs.
The Fraser Institute report compared Canadian and American retail prices for a few hundred commonly prescribed drugs, half brand-name and the other half generics. ...more
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Ruling grants easy access to morning-after pill
From the Edmonton Journal:
The emergency contraceptive pill Plan B will now be sold on the front shelves of Canadian pharmacies without any medical consultation after a landmark decision came down Thursday to make the drug more accessible.
In its final ruling, the National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA) has given Plan B, or Levonorgestrel, full over-the-counter status.
This new status will make Canada the fifth country worldwide that allows women to go into any pharmacy and purchase the single-dose pill without speaking to a pharmacist first. Plan B is already available without a prescription and a medical consultation in Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden and India. ...more
The emergency contraceptive pill Plan B will now be sold on the front shelves of Canadian pharmacies without any medical consultation after a landmark decision came down Thursday to make the drug more accessible.
In its final ruling, the National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA) has given Plan B, or Levonorgestrel, full over-the-counter status.
This new status will make Canada the fifth country worldwide that allows women to go into any pharmacy and purchase the single-dose pill without speaking to a pharmacist first. Plan B is already available without a prescription and a medical consultation in Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden and India. ...more
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Drug spending rose to $27b last year on backs of new market entries
From the Canadian Press:
Spending on prescribed and over-the-counter drugs in Canada outpaced overall health spending last year, and grew faster than the rate of inflation, new figures show.
The Canadian Institute for Health Information reported Thursday that drug spending reached an estimated $27 billion in 2007. That's up 7.2 per cent from the $25 billion spent the previous year.
In comparison, total health spending last year rose 6.6 per cent, to $160 billion from $150 billion in 2006. Inflation hovered around two per cent.
The institute cites increased volume of drug use and the entry of new drugs into the market, which are typically introduced at higher prices, as reasons for the soaring drug costs.
However, the rate of growth for drug spending has slowed from an average annual rate of 9.5 per cent between 1985 and 2005. ...more
Spending on prescribed and over-the-counter drugs in Canada outpaced overall health spending last year, and grew faster than the rate of inflation, new figures show.
The Canadian Institute for Health Information reported Thursday that drug spending reached an estimated $27 billion in 2007. That's up 7.2 per cent from the $25 billion spent the previous year.
In comparison, total health spending last year rose 6.6 per cent, to $160 billion from $150 billion in 2006. Inflation hovered around two per cent.
The institute cites increased volume of drug use and the entry of new drugs into the market, which are typically introduced at higher prices, as reasons for the soaring drug costs.
However, the rate of growth for drug spending has slowed from an average annual rate of 9.5 per cent between 1985 and 2005. ...more
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Plan B pill proposal worries pharmacists
From the National Post:
Canadians could have the most liberal access to the morning-after pill in the Western world, according to critics of proposed changes to how the drug is sold here.
An expert advisory committee has urged that the single-dose version of Plan B be available off the shelf at pharmacies, without women having to consult a pharmacist first. The recommendation would mean people could buy emergency contraceptives much the way they can Aspirin or vitamins.
A women's group has applauded the recommendation as a way to increase access to the pill, but pharmacists are objecting, saying Plan B customers would miss out on the invaluable information and advice druggists currently provide.
"Emergency contraceptives would be more readily available here [under the proposal] than in any developed country," said Janet Cooper of the Canadian Pharmacists Association. ...more
Canadians could have the most liberal access to the morning-after pill in the Western world, according to critics of proposed changes to how the drug is sold here.
An expert advisory committee has urged that the single-dose version of Plan B be available off the shelf at pharmacies, without women having to consult a pharmacist first. The recommendation would mean people could buy emergency contraceptives much the way they can Aspirin or vitamins.
A women's group has applauded the recommendation as a way to increase access to the pill, but pharmacists are objecting, saying Plan B customers would miss out on the invaluable information and advice druggists currently provide.
"Emergency contraceptives would be more readily available here [under the proposal] than in any developed country," said Janet Cooper of the Canadian Pharmacists Association. ...more
Monday, April 14, 2008
Loophole clears path for direct-to-consumer drug ads, critics charge
From the Globe and Mail:
A Conservative amendment leaves open a loophole that could allow pharmaceutical companies to directly advertise drugs to consumers.
It's a move critics say could drive up health-care costs and influence which drugs people take.
Under an amendment to the federal Food and Drugs Act, the government could authorize companies to promote drugs and their benefits directly to consumers through television, radio and print commercials, as they do in the United States.
The change was included in sweeping updates to food, drug and consumer product safety laws that Prime Minister Stephen Harper introduced at a news conference earlier this week.
A Canadian expert on direct-to-consumer advertising condemned the change and said it could have wide-reaching consequences on the health-care system and the treatment Canadians receive. ...more
A Conservative amendment leaves open a loophole that could allow pharmaceutical companies to directly advertise drugs to consumers.
It's a move critics say could drive up health-care costs and influence which drugs people take.
Under an amendment to the federal Food and Drugs Act, the government could authorize companies to promote drugs and their benefits directly to consumers through television, radio and print commercials, as they do in the United States.
The change was included in sweeping updates to food, drug and consumer product safety laws that Prime Minister Stephen Harper introduced at a news conference earlier this week.
A Canadian expert on direct-to-consumer advertising condemned the change and said it could have wide-reaching consequences on the health-care system and the treatment Canadians receive. ...more
Sunday, April 13, 2008
New drug rules: life-saver or safety risk?
From the Globe and Mail:
The pharmaceutical industry, health experts and patient groups across Canada are strongly divided over whether the federal government's proposed new system for approving and monitoring drugs will result in harm or benefit to Canadians.
Under the proposed new "progressive licensing" system, Health Canada "will shift the focus from pre-market assessment to continuous assessment" of drugs, according to an article written by departmental officials and published last June in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
The new system will "support timely access to drugs and provide a mechanism for the continuous monitoring and reassessment of a drug's safety" throughout its life cycle, states the article.
Some advocacy groups say the move is a much-needed development that will improve access to breakthrough, live-saving drugs or treatments for rare diseases. ...more
The pharmaceutical industry, health experts and patient groups across Canada are strongly divided over whether the federal government's proposed new system for approving and monitoring drugs will result in harm or benefit to Canadians.
Under the proposed new "progressive licensing" system, Health Canada "will shift the focus from pre-market assessment to continuous assessment" of drugs, according to an article written by departmental officials and published last June in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
The new system will "support timely access to drugs and provide a mechanism for the continuous monitoring and reassessment of a drug's safety" throughout its life cycle, states the article.
Some advocacy groups say the move is a much-needed development that will improve access to breakthrough, live-saving drugs or treatments for rare diseases. ...more
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Experts sound alarm on drug-approval plan
From the Globe and Mail:
The federal government moved yesterday to meet intense pressure to get new drugs on the market faster while maintaining rigorous safety requirements, but health experts warned that Canadians could be exposed to medicines that are approved too quickly to ensure safety.
The government introduced sweeping changes to the way drugs are approved and monitored such that they will require safety checks before and after they reach the market. The changes are among consumer-product safety measures unveiled in Ottawa.
Health Minister Tony Clement said the rules won't water down safety requirements for new drugs, and the continued monitoring will improve the government's ability to spot problems.
"I can assure you we are not going to change our standards or change our stringent review," Mr. Clement said in an interview. "Our work is going to remain as intense." ...more
The federal government moved yesterday to meet intense pressure to get new drugs on the market faster while maintaining rigorous safety requirements, but health experts warned that Canadians could be exposed to medicines that are approved too quickly to ensure safety.
The government introduced sweeping changes to the way drugs are approved and monitored such that they will require safety checks before and after they reach the market. The changes are among consumer-product safety measures unveiled in Ottawa.
Health Minister Tony Clement said the rules won't water down safety requirements for new drugs, and the continued monitoring will improve the government's ability to spot problems.
"I can assure you we are not going to change our standards or change our stringent review," Mr. Clement said in an interview. "Our work is going to remain as intense." ...more
Mixed reactions to Ottawa's new drug safety proposals
From CBC News:
Federal government proposals to change the way drug safety is monitored in Canada have drawn a mixed response.
On Tuesday, consumer safety legislation was tabled in the House of Commons that includes requirements for health-care institutions to report adverse drug reactions, demands continuing surveillance of drugs after they've been approved and raises fines for unsafe drugs from $5,000 to a minimum of $5 million.
While some experts say the new rules will improve the government's ability to protect the public, critics say it has the potential to expose Canadians to more risk.
Dr. Joel Lexchin, a York University professor in Toronto, says he's concerned that the bill would give the federal health minister the ability to fast-track drug approvals. ...more
Federal government proposals to change the way drug safety is monitored in Canada have drawn a mixed response.
On Tuesday, consumer safety legislation was tabled in the House of Commons that includes requirements for health-care institutions to report adverse drug reactions, demands continuing surveillance of drugs after they've been approved and raises fines for unsafe drugs from $5,000 to a minimum of $5 million.
While some experts say the new rules will improve the government's ability to protect the public, critics say it has the potential to expose Canadians to more risk.
Dr. Joel Lexchin, a York University professor in Toronto, says he's concerned that the bill would give the federal health minister the ability to fast-track drug approvals. ...more
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Pfizer Wins Canadian Order Blocking Generic Version of Lipitor
From Bloomberg:
Pfizer Inc., the world's biggest drugmaker, won a Canadian appeals court ruling blocking regulatory approval of Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd.'s generic version of the cholesterol pill Lipitor.
Canada's Federal Court of Appeal yesterday reversed a lower-court ruling that Ranbaxy could seek approval for its competing version of Lipitor before Pfizer's patent expires in 2010, Pfizer spokeswoman Vanessa Aristide said in a phone interview.
Ranbaxy, India's largest drugmaker, also challenged Lipitor patents in the Netherlands. Pfizer said in February it would appeal a Dutch ruling invalidating one of its patents covering Lipitor, the world's best-selling medicine with ales of $12.7 billion last year. Ranbaxy can appeal yesterday's ruling to Canada's Supreme Court. The order doesn't apply to litigation in other countries, including the U.S., Aristide said. ...more
Pfizer Inc., the world's biggest drugmaker, won a Canadian appeals court ruling blocking regulatory approval of Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd.'s generic version of the cholesterol pill Lipitor.
Canada's Federal Court of Appeal yesterday reversed a lower-court ruling that Ranbaxy could seek approval for its competing version of Lipitor before Pfizer's patent expires in 2010, Pfizer spokeswoman Vanessa Aristide said in a phone interview.
Ranbaxy, India's largest drugmaker, also challenged Lipitor patents in the Netherlands. Pfizer said in February it would appeal a Dutch ruling invalidating one of its patents covering Lipitor, the world's best-selling medicine with ales of $12.7 billion last year. Ranbaxy can appeal yesterday's ruling to Canada's Supreme Court. The order doesn't apply to litigation in other countries, including the U.S., Aristide said. ...more
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Prescription drug sales see slower growth
From Canada.com:
Sales of prescription drugs in Canada grew by 6.3 per cent last year, the slowest rate in a decade, health industry tracker IMS Health said Wednesday.
The rate, on sales of almost $19 billion worth of prescription medication, is about two percentage points lower than the average growth of 8.4 per cent between 2002 and 2006, IMS Health said in a statement.
IMS attributed the slower sales growth to product withdrawals issued by Health Canada, along with the expiry of patents on several major brand-named drugs. ...more
Sales of prescription drugs in Canada grew by 6.3 per cent last year, the slowest rate in a decade, health industry tracker IMS Health said Wednesday.
The rate, on sales of almost $19 billion worth of prescription medication, is about two percentage points lower than the average growth of 8.4 per cent between 2002 and 2006, IMS Health said in a statement.
IMS attributed the slower sales growth to product withdrawals issued by Health Canada, along with the expiry of patents on several major brand-named drugs. ...more
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Where you live influences cancer survival
From Canada.com:
According to the latest report of a Cancer advocacy group, Canadians are experiencing care that is inconsistent, unfair and ineffective.
The Cancer Advocacy Coalition of Canada says that has created discrepancies in access to treatment.
"Tell me your postal code, and I will tell you your chances of surviving cancer," says Dr. William Hryniuk, past chair of CACC and former director of cancer centres in the Canada and U.S.
This year's report highlighted several areas in the fight against cancer.
Access to new and expensive cancer drugs continues to be one of the most urgent problems cancer patients face, according to the report.
Coalition researchers conducted a province-by-province review of access to 24 drugs featured in past reports, adding an analysis of 18 new therapies. ...more
According to the latest report of a Cancer advocacy group, Canadians are experiencing care that is inconsistent, unfair and ineffective.
The Cancer Advocacy Coalition of Canada says that has created discrepancies in access to treatment.
"Tell me your postal code, and I will tell you your chances of surviving cancer," says Dr. William Hryniuk, past chair of CACC and former director of cancer centres in the Canada and U.S.
This year's report highlighted several areas in the fight against cancer.
Access to new and expensive cancer drugs continues to be one of the most urgent problems cancer patients face, according to the report.
Coalition researchers conducted a province-by-province review of access to 24 drugs featured in past reports, adding an analysis of 18 new therapies. ...more
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Out-of-pocket costs vary widely by province for seniors
From the Globe and Mail:
Technically, every Canadian aged 65 or older is covered by a provincial drug plan, but the out-of-pocket costs paid by seniors for prescription drugs vary wildly between provinces, new research shows.
For example, a 65-year-old single woman on a government pension who suffers from diabetes and high blood pressure and is being treated with four prescription drugs pays only $8 for the medication in Ontario but $503 in Manitoba.
Similarly, a 73-year-old married man with an above-average income taking five drugs to treat heart failure pays $60 for the prescription medicine in New Brunswick and $1,332 in Manitoba.
"Given differences in reimbursement according to age, income level, marital status and province of residence, drug reimbursement in Canada is manifestly unequal," said Louise Pilote with the divisions of general internal medicine and clinical epidemiology at McGill University Health Centre in Montreal. ...more
Technically, every Canadian aged 65 or older is covered by a provincial drug plan, but the out-of-pocket costs paid by seniors for prescription drugs vary wildly between provinces, new research shows.
For example, a 65-year-old single woman on a government pension who suffers from diabetes and high blood pressure and is being treated with four prescription drugs pays only $8 for the medication in Ontario but $503 in Manitoba.
Similarly, a 73-year-old married man with an above-average income taking five drugs to treat heart failure pays $60 for the prescription medicine in New Brunswick and $1,332 in Manitoba.
"Given differences in reimbursement according to age, income level, marital status and province of residence, drug reimbursement in Canada is manifestly unequal," said Louise Pilote with the divisions of general internal medicine and clinical epidemiology at McGill University Health Centre in Montreal. ...more
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Teens turning to prescription painkillers, survey finds
From Canada.com:
While alcohol still remains the substance of choice among Canadian teens, a new study in Ontario released Tuesday shows use of prescription painkillers is a growing cause for concern.
According to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, 21 per cent of students surveyed about their drug use revealed they had tried a prescription pain medication for non-medical purposes at least once in the past year.
More than 75 per cent of teens reported getting the pills from home.
Doug Beirness, manager of research and policy for the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse said Ontario's youth opioid statistics are the first of their kind in Canada but should serve as a wake-up call across the country. An opioid is a chemical substance that has a morphine-like action in the body and is used for pain relief. ...more
While alcohol still remains the substance of choice among Canadian teens, a new study in Ontario released Tuesday shows use of prescription painkillers is a growing cause for concern.
According to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, 21 per cent of students surveyed about their drug use revealed they had tried a prescription pain medication for non-medical purposes at least once in the past year.
More than 75 per cent of teens reported getting the pills from home.
Doug Beirness, manager of research and policy for the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse said Ontario's youth opioid statistics are the first of their kind in Canada but should serve as a wake-up call across the country. An opioid is a chemical substance that has a morphine-like action in the body and is used for pain relief. ...more
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Lack of sympathy greets drug advertising debate
From the Toronto Star:
To say that prescription drugs are not like other products – and so should not be marketed like they are – is just plain patronizing, a public debate on whether to loosen Canada's advertising restrictions on medication heard yesterday.
"No one makes better decisions about what's best for you than you," said Ruth Corbin, who runs a research company specializing in intellectual property, such as drugs.
Speaking to a largely unsympathetic crowd at Ryerson University, Corbin said patients need advertising to help them discuss treatment options with their doctors. ...more
To say that prescription drugs are not like other products – and so should not be marketed like they are – is just plain patronizing, a public debate on whether to loosen Canada's advertising restrictions on medication heard yesterday.
"No one makes better decisions about what's best for you than you," said Ruth Corbin, who runs a research company specializing in intellectual property, such as drugs.
Speaking to a largely unsympathetic crowd at Ryerson University, Corbin said patients need advertising to help them discuss treatment options with their doctors. ...more
Thursday, May 17, 2007
$21B spent on drugs in Canada in 2006: report
From CBC News:
Spending on prescribed drugs in Canada reached an estimated $21.1 billion in 2006, up $1.4 billion from the previous year, although spending seems to be slowing, according to a report released Tuesday.
The Canadian Institute for Health Information's annual report, Drug Expenditure in Canada, highlights trends in public and private spending on both prescribed and non-prescribed drugs from 1985 to 2006.
Prescribed drugs have been one of the fastest-growing components of total health spending over the past two decades and continue to outpace most other health sectors, including spending on hospitals," said Michael Hunt, manager of pharmaceutical programs at the institute. ...more
Spending on prescribed drugs in Canada reached an estimated $21.1 billion in 2006, up $1.4 billion from the previous year, although spending seems to be slowing, according to a report released Tuesday.
The Canadian Institute for Health Information's annual report, Drug Expenditure in Canada, highlights trends in public and private spending on both prescribed and non-prescribed drugs from 1985 to 2006.
Prescribed drugs have been one of the fastest-growing components of total health spending over the past two decades and continue to outpace most other health sectors, including spending on hospitals," said Michael Hunt, manager of pharmaceutical programs at the institute. ...more
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