BIOTECanada welcomes the establishment of the Council of Experts which will provide scientific, industrial, academic, and public health expertise to guide the implementation of Canada’s Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy, ensuring that the related investments grow domestic biomanufacturing capacity and drive research within the Canadian life sciences sector.
The Council of Experts builds on the valuable work the Vaccine and Therapeutic Task Forces which were established at the outset of the pandemic in March 2020. The two task forces effectively helped to inform the government’s efforts to identify potentially effective therapeutic technologies and vaccine candidates as they emerged in 2020 and 2021. Recognizing the need to address ongoing COVID-19 related challenges as well as prepare for potential future global health challenges, the government is investing significantly in building Canada’s biomanufacturing capacity and life sciences sector through the federal Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences strategy. The Council of Experts will play an important advisory role in the strategic implementation of the BMLS strategy.
The pandemic has amplified the value of a robust and diverse domestic biotech sector. The highly effective COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics the industry was able to develop relatively quickly have been instrumental in saving millions of lives and allowing society and the economy to return to a near pre-pandemic state. Importantly, as countries take steps to prepare for future pandemic-like challenges, there is now a significantly greater awareness of the strategic importance of building on the existing strengths of Canada’s life sciences ecosystem. The Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy is a significant and timely investment in enhancing Canada’s competitiveness in this regard.