On Thursday, May 20, 2021, Life Sciences BC held an informative half-day event to enhance everyone’s understanding of the process of bringing innovative medicines into Canada and the associated national pharmaceutical policies. This webinar also covered the UK life sciences strategy and best practices of collaboration between the UK government, industry and health systems. Attendees were able to gain insight into the process of how a commercialized therapeutic reaches patients. This webinar also enhanced everyone’s understanding of the roles of: Health Canada, the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH), the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board (PMPRB) and the Provinces for the listing of new therapeutics. In addition, relevant federal policies were explored and how current changes being considered may impact the patients’ access.
Event Spotlight:
UK Life Sciences Strategy: Presented by Regius Professor Sir John Bell
Professor Sir John Bell provided a deep dive into the UK life sciences strategy and best practices of collaboration between UK government, industry and health systems.
We were delighted to have the internationally respected Sir John Bell, the Canadian-born Regius Chair of Medicine at the University of Oxford, UK as a speaker for our Canada & UK: Foundations for Innovation webinar. Sir Bell participated in a discussion with Dr. Dermot Kelleher, UBC’s Vice President, Health and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine.
Speaking Sessions and Confirmed Speakers:
Session 1: Introduction of Therapeutics to the Canadian Market 101
Confirmed Speaker:
- Mark Legault, Director, Access and Pricing, Pfizer Canada
Session 2: Canadian Policies Impacting the Life Sciences Sector
Confirmed Speakers:
- Declan Hamill, Vice President, Legal, Regulatory Affairs and Compliance, Innovative Medicines Canada
- Tracey Ramsay, Vice-President & General Manager, AbbVie Canada
- Anne Stevens, Head of Business Partnering, AbCellera
Moderator:
- Andrew Casey, President & CEO, BIOTECanada
Session 3: UK Life Sciences Strategy: What Can Canada Learn?
Confirmed Speakers:
- Sir John Bell, Regius Professor, Medicine, Oxford University
- Dr. Dermot Kelleher, Professor, Department of Medicine, Dean, Faculty of Medicine, Vice President, Health, The University of British Columbia
Moderator:
- Wendy Hurlburt, President & CEO, Life Sciences BC
