EXCLUSIVE: Drug companies choosing not to sell life-saving and life-extending medicines in Canada

Novartis, a renowned drug company, has decided not to sell its life-saving and life-extending medicine, Vanrafia, in Canada despite receiving Health Canada approval. This decision has left many patients, like Ruchi Ambike who suffers from Immunoglobulin gA nephropathy, in a state of disappointment. The drug could potentially slow down the progression of Ambike's IgAN and prevent end-stage kidney disease, a condition affecting one in ten Canadians with no cure.

Despite the availability of six FDA-approved medications for IgAN in the United States, none of them are accessible in Canada due to Novartis' decision. Dr. Michelle Hladunewich, a nephologist, stated that this is not the first instance of such a situation. The situation highlights that Canadians only have access to 18% of innovative medicines worldwide, compared to the United States which has access to over 90%.

The process of getting a drug approved and available in Canada is complex, time-consuming, and costly. After receiving Health Canada approval, the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board sets a drug ceiling, and the Canada Drug Agency recommends on cost, which then needs to be negotiated by the Pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance, followed by provincial decisions.

This lengthy process can result in companies only seeing patent exclusivity for fewer than five years in Canada, limiting the availability of new drugs. According to Dr. Bettina Hamelin, President and CEO of Innovative Medicines Canada, Canada is a "later launch" country, which delays or even prevents access to innovative drugs in many fields.

The federal government has created a Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences task force last month to address these issues, but it remains to be seen if these recommendations will be adopted and how soon.