In the wake of media attention around recent high-profile resignations from PMPRB, Melanie Bourassa Forcier, former Acting Chairperson of the PMPRB who resigned in December, came forward to “rectify the facts” about her reasons for resigning this past weekend.

In her 5-page letter dated March 3rd and published on her LinkedIN profile over the weekend, Bourassa Forcier wrote in French (translated):
 
I sincerely believed I could contribute significantly to get everyone out of the perpetuating dialogue of the deaf between the pharmaceutical industry and the PMPRB that has been going on for years and has notably generated costly judicial remedies for Canadians which could have been avoided. I left because I realized that my expertise and experience were, in fact, of no value to the PMPRB as it was then constituted.

While Matthew Herder’s resignation letter criticized the recently appointed Board Chairperson’s previous experience with the pharmaceutical industry, Bourassa Forcier indicated this to be an asset (translated):

You have to know this industry and its strategies well to identify the elements that will motivate the change in its practices. I am also confident that this new Chair will be able to generate the change required within the PMPRB to ensure that it carries out its mandate in a way that is optimal for all Canadians.

Read Bourassa Forcier’s full letter here on her LinkedIN Profile.

Please contact Dylan Lamb-Palmer, Associate Director, Pricing and Data Analytics at dylan.lambpalmer@pdci.ca for any questions or further information.