Canadian Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Exporters Alliance Welcomes Health Canada Pilot Project to Prioritize Generic Drug Submissions from Canadian Producers
- CPMEA
- Jul 21
- 2 min read
PRESS RELEASE
July 21, 2026, Toronto, ON – The Canadian Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Exporters Alliance (CPMEA) welcomes the Minister of Health's announcement of a new Health Canada pilot project to prioritize the review of generic drug submissions from Canadian manufacturers.
This is an important and encouraging step toward strengthening Canada's domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity and ensuring Canadians have reliable access to essential medicines.
"We are encouraged by the Minister of Health's leadership and welcome Health Canada's decision to recognize the critical role that Canadian pharmaceutical manufacturers play in Canada's health security," said Terry Creighton, President, Canadian Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Exporters Alliance. "Health Canada listened carefully to the concerns raised by Canadian drug producers about the need for more timely regulatory reviews, and this announcement demonstrates a clear commitment to working collaboratively with industry to improve access to medicines for Canadians."
Canadian manufacturers have long advocated for regulatory processes that better reflect the importance of maintaining a strong domestic supply of essential medicines. Faster reviews for medicines manufactured in Canada will help bring high-quality generic medicines to patients sooner while strengthening Canada's ability to prevent and respond to drug shortages and improve our pharmaceutical self-sufficiency.
The COVID-19 pandemic, recurring global supply chain disruptions, and increasing trade and geopolitical uncertainty have reinforced the importance of maintaining pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity within Canada. A more responsive regulatory system is an essential component of that strategy.
CPMEA encourages the Government of Canada to move swiftly in implementing the pilot project and to build on this important initiative by making timely regulatory reviews a permanent feature of Canada's pharmaceutical regulatory framework for medicines manufactured domestically.
"Accelerating the approval of high-quality generic medicines by Canadian producers is good public policy," said Ms. Creighton. "It supports a more resilient drug supply, helps prevent shortages of essential medicines, strengthens Canadian manufacturing, and most importantly ensures that patients have timely access to the affordable medicines they depend on. This action taken by Health Canada will help Build Canada Strong for domestic drug production and secure our pharmaceutical sovereignty.”
The Alliance looks forward to continuing to work with the Minister of Health and Health Canada to identify additional opportunities to improve regulatory efficiency while maintaining Canada's world-class standards for safety, quality, and effectiveness.
About the Canadian Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Exporters Alliance
The Canadian Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Exporters Alliance represents Canadian-based pharmaceutical manufacturers dedicated to producing high-quality prescription medicines for patients in Canada and around the world. Our members invest in Canadian manufacturing facilities, support highly skilled jobs, strengthen domestic supply chains, and contribute to Canada's health and economic security.
For more information please contact:
Terry Creighton
416 904 1711
