Canada's Generic Drugmakers Claim They Offer Health Costs Solution

Ahead of last month's meeting of Canada's health ministers in Toronto, the country's generic drug industry reminded them of a simple solution that would save Canadians more than C$100 million ($73.4 million).

According to Brenda Drinkwalter, president of the Canadian Drug Manufacturers Association (which represents the generics sector of the industry), "the repeal of the Patented Medicines Regulations would allow Canadian-owned generic companies to introduce several new affordable drugs, providing immediate cost savings." If the federal government is serious about saving health care dollars, she added, it "should repeal the regulations immediately."

C$131.5M Cost To Canadians The health ministry, Health Canada's own studies estimate that these regulations will cost the health care system an extra C$131.5 million between 1995 and 1999, because they delay the availability of lower-priced generic medicines.