Pharmacoeconomic Challenges in Canada

Abstract

Pharmacoeconomics in Canada is in its infancy, and growing rapidly. After extensive multistakeholder participation, national pharmacoeconomic guidelines were adopted in December 1994. Most provincial governments have indicated that they would like to receive pharmacoeconomic data to assist them in making reimbursement decisions, and except for Ontario (Ontario issued its final pharmacoeconomic guidelines in August 1994), they have not yet made these mandatory. The innovative pharmaceutical industry is responding to this challenge by collecting pharmacoeconomic data within Phases II and III safety and efficacy studies, as stand-alone pharmacoeconomic studies, and as pharmacoeconomic modeling. The most significant challenge presently is to have provincial governments and third-party insurers adopt a societal perspective within which new pharmaceuticals can have their full value demonstrated.