First Step of The New Guidelines Consultation Announced
On October 25, 2023, the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board (PMPRB) released details on the first of its two-step consultation process for developing its new set of price regulatory guidelines. PMPRB will send invitations to stakeholders for a Policy Roundtable scheduled for December 5 (English session) and December 6 (French session).
As mentioned in PMPRB’s September 27 Decision on the Amended Interim Guidance Consultation Notice and Comment, the Board will approach consultation with a “fresh and open mind” to “achieve clarity and predictability under the new Regulations”.
According to PMPRB’s announcement, the Policy Roundtable discussions will be centered around the following themes selected from the diverse issues and trends that impact health care, pharmaceuticals, and the vast inter-connected healthcare ecosystem:
- Efficient Monitoring of Prices without Price Setting
- Transition to PMPRB11 – New versus Existing Medicine
- Price Reviews during Product Life Cycle
- Investigations and Referral to Hearing
- Relation to pan-Canadian Health Partners, Insurers (Private and Public), and Alignment with Broader Government Initiatives
- Engaging with Patients, Health Practitioners, Pharmacy, and other Stakeholders
PMPRB indicated it will publish a scoping paper sometime prior to the roundtable which will further detail the questions that will be asked and provide further logistics information for the Roundtable discussions. Additionally, PMPRB indicated it will publish a “What We Heard” report following the discussions. Information on new developments and announcements will be published on PMPRB’s X (formerly Twitter) page.
A Brand-New Board: Two New Members Appointed
The Honourable Mark Holland Minister of Health has announced the appointment of Peter Moreland-Giraldeau and Dr. Emily A. Reynen to the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board (PMPRB) Board on October 12 and October 25 respectively for five-year terms.
The only Board member remaining from the time of the first attempt at PMPRB reforms is Carolyn Kobernick, who is serving her second and final term ending in June 2024.
Peter Moreland-Giraldeau is a is a lawyer with a Master of Laws: Common Law (L.L.M) from the University of British Columbia. He currently works for the Appeals Commission for Alberta Workers’ Compensation.
Dr. Emily A. Reynen is an intensive care physician and holds degrees in Pharmacy and in Internal Medicine and Critical Care. She also serves as a member of CADTH’s Canadian Drug Expert Committee.
The remaining major vacancy at the PMPRB is the Executive Director position, left open since Doug Clark’s resignation back in February 2023.
For more information, please see the PMPRB announcement on the next steps in Guidelines consultation process, the appointment News Release of Peter Moreland-Giraldeau and Dr. Emily A. Reynen or contact PDCI’s Dylan Lamb-Palmer, Associate Director, Pricing and Data Analytics.