I Hope you notice that the word ETHICAL is in quotation marks There is a perception with the public that the Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Industry, PMI, (all companies, trade name and generic), is essentially different from other industries because they are in the health care field and produce medicines. This leads the public to believe that Continue Reading
It is not readily apparent to the general public but, in theory, the provincial and federal governments could change the way the health-care professionals practice. In the real political world when it comes to health care, the politicians tread very carefully and go out of their way to avoid disturbing the system in place. In Continue Reading
The generic pharmaceutical industry in Canada began its meteoric growth when the Trudeau liberals passed a law allowing small Canadian companies to sell patented pharmaceuticals under a “compulsory licensing” arrangement. The law was in force long enough to build a truly effective generic industry but was repealed when the Mulroney conservatives came into power, supposedly Continue Reading
There is a hidden continuing battle in the Canadian pharmaceutical industry. It pits Canada’s Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies (mostly international and trade-name companies) against the Canadian Generic Pharmaceutical Association (CGPA). The CGPA are companies that produce pharmaceuticals after the patent has expired. The battle also involves the Food and Drug Directorate, whose mandate is to supervise Continue Reading
As a pharmacist, now retired, who practiced my profession for 45 years, most of the time as president of a small chain of prescription pharmacies called Vanguard Drug Mart, I can unequivocally state that the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care under the leadership of George Smitherman, has completely caved in to the research-based Continue Reading
Timid politicians block meaningful changes in the delivery of Health Care. The major preoccupation for all politicians is to get elected and then re-elected. Everything politicians do is measured in terms of how it affects their chances in the coming elections. Governments, both provincial and federal are involved in many issues, such as soft-wood lumber, Continue Reading