Reforms not to blame for drug shortages: group
Last Updated: Wednesday, August 18, 2010 | 6:37 PM ET
CBC News
Recent changes to provincial drug plans are not to blame for significant medication shortages, the Canadian generic drug industry says.
Pharmacists in New Brunswick say they have been struggling to find alternatives to fill prescriptions, substituting products when items are not available.
"Certain manufacturers don't seem to be able to supply the product right now," said Donna Chauvin, a Fredericton pharmacist. "We're noticing we have to switch strengths of one drug for another."
The head of the provincial pharmacists' association said pharmacists have speculated that reforms in other provinces are to blame for the shortages.
"It's not out of the question for a manufacturer to decide, 'You know what, we're going to sell every molecule we make this year. Maybe we make sure those products make their way into more profitable markets,'" said Paul Blanchard, executive director for the New Brunswick Pharmacists' Association.
Ontario decided in June that generic drug prices will be cut to 25 per cent of the price of patented drugs, down from 50 per cent. In July, British Columbia decided to drop the cost of generic drugs from 65 per cent of the brand name cost to 35 per cent. Alberta and Quebec reached similar cost-cutting deals with the drug industry recently.
The group that represents the Canadian generic pharmaceutical industry says those reforms are not to blame for recent shortages.
The cause of the shortages is not yet clear, but could be due to a number of issues, the president of the Canadian Generic Pharmaceutical Association said in a statement Tuesday.
Jim Keon cites worldwide shortages of active pharmaceutical ingredients, production problems and changes to regulatory standards and requirements as possible reasons for the shortages.
"Any current shortages of generic prescription medicines are not the result of recent drug program reforms in Ontario or other provinces," the statement said.
Keon said generic pharmaceutical manufacturers are taking steps to address the shortages and he expects the situation to improve over the coming weeks.
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