Advocacy on drug shortages

CPhA’s advocacy activities related to drug shortages include the following:

• CPhA submitted a brief as part of the federal government’s consultation on improving access to drugs and other health products for people in Canada (August 2023)
• Publication of drug shortage recommendations outlining actions the federal government should take to reduce the potential for and better prepare for future drug shortages (April 2023)
• During recent high-profile shortages, CPhA worked closely with Health Canada and other stakeholders to advocate for pharmacists and produce a range of resources and tools for both pharmacists and patients. Shortages included children’s analgesics, antibiotics, specialty baby formula, and nitroglycerin spray.
• Ongoing participation on Health Canada’s Multi-Stakeholder Steering Committee on Drug Shortages
• Ongoing consultations with the federal government and House of Commons Standing Committee on Health to address and prevent drug shortages
• National survey of community pharmacists on drug supply issues during COVID-19 (May 2020)
• Advocacy to highlight the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on drug supply and the need for responsible allocation of medications (March 2020)
• Collaboration with governments and other stakeholders along the supply chain to identify medications most at risk of shortages over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond (2020)
• CPhA letter to Prime Minister on new government mandate (November 2019)
• CPhA letter to Prime Minister on drug shortage concerns (August 2019)
• Drug shortages survey of pharmacists (2018)
• Abacus Data survey of Canadians on drug shortages (2018)
• Advocacy efforts to enable pharmacists’ full scope of practice across Canada and appropriate remuneration for the improved mitigation of drug shortages
• International summit held in Toronto, co-hosted by CPhA and FIP (2013)
• Drug shortages survey of pharmacists (2010)