Health Canada places order for new adverse reaction monitor

The Canadian government's public health care provider, Health Canada has awarded a contract for a new computerized system of monitoring adverse reactions to drugs. The new system is intended to replace the existing Canadian Adverse Drug Reaction Information System (CADRIS) by October next year.

Canada's Health Minister, Tony Clement, explained the decision to award the contract to Connecticut, USA-based pharmacovigilance expert ArisGlobal, saying: "this new system will allow us to effectively track and analyze adverse reaction information we receive...to better protect the health and safety of Canadians."

Two notable features to the replacement for the CADRIS model are the capacity to monitor adverse reactions over the entire life cycle of a drug and the facility of providing all manufacturers with electronic reporting. A spokesperson for Health Canada stated that the new program would "significantly improve the efficiency of processing" adverse reaction reports.