TORONTO—Provinces and territories are now able to import urgently needed medications that are not available in Canada to treat the growing incidence of opioid dependence under new Health Canada regulations announced June 27.
“The new regulatory pathway will enable public health officials to access drugs that aren’t approved in Canada that can be used in public health emergencies, like what we’re seeing in the opioid crisis,” Suzy McDonald, assistant deputy minister of the department’s Opioid Response Team, told a media briefing from Ottawa.
“Our goal is to provide timely and greater access to drugs not available in Canada to help address health crisis situations,” she said. “It enables public health professionals to access drugs that trusted regulators in the United States, the European Union, or Switzerland have already reviewed and can be used as safe and effective treatments.”
Health Canada has published an initial list of drugs for import, including injectable Vivitrol and orally dissolving Suboxone—replacement medications for those trying to kick the opioid habit.
The imported medications will remain on the list for one year, after which they will be removed unless Health Canada receives notification for continued access to the medication to address an urgent or continuing public health need.
Medications to treat opioid use disorder and for tuberculosis have been identified by public health officials as those needing immediate access. Examples of other drugs that could be approved for importation through the process are those for treating pandemic viruses or other public and military health emergencies.
While it’s not known how many Canadians are dependent on or addicted to prescription opioids like oxycodone or illicit fentanly pills sold on the street, such drugs were responsible for an estimated 2,500 opioid overdose deaths among Canadians last year and the country is on track to surpass that number this year.
“It goes without saying that Canada is experiencing an unprecedented public health crisis of opioid-related overdoses and deaths,” said Dr. Theresa Tam, chief public health officer of Canada.
“If the current trend continues, deaths in Canada could be higher than 3,000 in 2017.”
From The Canadian Press
Friends Read Free