On December 18, 2023, the Government of Canada announced the creation of the Canadian Drug Agency (“CDA”). The CDA will be aimed at improving the pharmaceutical system in Canada by delivering the leadership and coordination needed to make Canada's drug system more sustainable and better prepared for the future.

The CDA will be built from the existing Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health ("CADTH"), in partnership with provinces and territories. CDA’s mandates will include:

• assessing health technology and post-market safety and effectiveness (current CADTH mandates);
• improving the appropriate prescribing and use of medications;
• increasing pan-Canadian data collection and expanding access to drug and treatment data; and
• reducing drug system duplication and lack of coordination.

The Government of Canada’s announcement follows consultation with provinces, territories, and key stakeholders. In its 2019 budget, the Government of Canada committed funds to establish the Canadian Drug Agency Transition Office ("CDATO"). In the spring of 2021, the Government of Canada launched the CDATO to create a vision, mandate, and plan to establish the CDA.

The CDA will be sure to impact Canada’s pharmaceutical regulatory landscape.

For further information on the CDA’s role and mandate, please contact Fiona Legere (co-lead of our pharmaceutical industry group) or Byron Shaw.