BIOTECanada welcomes the announcement that the Government of Canada has entered into a bilateral agreement with the province of British Columbia which will improve access to drugs for rare diseases, early diagnosis, and screening for British Columbian rare disease patients. More broadly, the bilateral agreement is an important and meaningful step in the implementation of the National Strategy for Rare Diseases established by the federal government to provide Canadian patients with rare diseases greater access to important new therapies and technologies.
Many Canadian biotechnology companies are developing drugs for rare diseases. In addition, numerous global biotech companies have developed and are bringing to Canada remarkable new drugs and therapeutics to address the healthcare needs of patients with rare diseases. In this context, while BIOTECanada welcomes the bilateral agreement, the industry encourages the federal and provincial governments to continue working with patient groups and the industry to enhance the transparency of the process and the development of real-world evidence to inform subsequent decisions regarding drugs for rare disease. A collaborative and transparent implementation process for the National Strategy will ensure Canadians living with rare disease have timely access to innovative and life-saving treatments.