Articles on Drug companies

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Health Canada has begun consultations about using the decisions of foreign drug regulators, such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), to approve new drugs in Canada. (Unsplash+/Hal Gatewood)

Why drug approval in Canada should not rely on foreign regulators

Before Canada decides to rely on foreign drug regulators to approve new medicines, Health Canada needs to show that it will improve public health.
Research ethics boards are supposed to ensure that, among other things, patients understand the nature of the research and have given informed consent. (Unsplash/Nappy)

In drug trials, lack of oversight of research ethics boards could put Canadian patients at risk

Canada has no accreditation or inspection system for research ethics boards for clinical drug trials, and no oversight mechanism for the way that they undertake reviews.
Patients need to know that treatments are recommended based on patient need, not pharma company interests. That’s why it’s important to know how much Big Pharma is paying to health-care providers and organizations. (Shutterstock)

Canadians need to know how much money Big Pharma gives health‑care providers, but this information is far too difficult to find

Canada has a lack of transparency about Big Pharma’s payments to health-care providers and organizations. Disclosure is voluntary, and there’s no central data on even the few companies that do report.
Europe remains by far the leader in the global trade of pharmaceuticals. Loïc Venance/AFP

Recent drug shortages in Europe overshadow half a century of trade surpluses

The Covid-19 pandemic has laid bare Europe’s vulnerability to drug-supply disruption. Still, it remains by far the world leader in pharmaceutical products.
When drug companies and drug regulators, such as Health Canada, sit down together at “pre-submission meetings” this may have a negative impact on public health. (Shutterstock)

Health Canada and Big Pharma: Too close for comfort

Drug companies have a job to do and so does Health Canada. When the relationship becomes murky, the public are at risk.
The lack of transparency seems to be worse in certain disease areas, including diabetes and heart disease. rawpixel

Influential doctors aren’t disclosing their drug company ties

Clinical guidelines have a big impact on the care you receive and the drugs you’re prescribed. But one in five doctors who write these guidelines have undisclosed ties to drug companies.
The reliability of a new guideline for the management of chronic hepatitis C is questionable, given the financial conflicts of interest documented by its authors. (Shutterstock)

Can you rely on the drugs that your doctor prescribes?

In the run up to the Global Hepatitis Summit 2018, new guidelines for the management of hepatitis C should come under scrutiny – for financial conflict of interest and quality of evidence.
Could universal pharmacare reduce excessive drug price hikes in Canada? Eric Hoskins, former Ontario Minister of Health, will chair a federal government advisory council to implement a national pharmacare plan. Hoskins is pictured here with federal Minister of Health Ginette Petitpas Taylor. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang)

Pharmacare and the chaotic world of Canadian drug prices

The cost of a life-saving drug in Canada is rising by 3,000 per cent. A national pharmacare plan could bring order to this chaotic world of Canadian drug prices.
Have our hopes of a drug treatment for dementia been dashed by drug company Pfizer giving up on research efforts? from www.shutterstock.com

Why a drug treatment for dementia has eluded us

Because we’re still not sure exactly what causes dementia, finding a treatment is difficult.

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