December 11, 2014 – Ottawa, ON – Patented Medicine Prices Review Board
Today, the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board (PMPRB) released the 2013 National Prescription Drug Utilization Information System (NPDUIS) report on Canadian generic drug prices. The report, titled Generic Drugs in Canada, 2013, compares generic drug prices in Canada with those in other industrialized countries. The PMPRB has been reporting regularly on generic drug prices under the NPDUIS initiative.
The report, which focuses on generic drug prices in Canada in the first six months of 2013, finds that when compared to their branded counterparts, prices of generic drugs in Canada have declined significantly since 2010. This is mainly due to the collaborative efforts of provincial governments to implement more rigorous generic reimbursement policies, a trend that is expected to continue under the recently announced pan-Canadian Value Price Initiative. However, despite these efforts, international generic drug prices remain appreciably lower than Canadian prices, reducing the price gap by only three percentage points since 2011, from 35% to 32% relative to the international average. The report notes a narrower price gap in the second quarter of 2013 between international prices and those reimbursed by the Ontario Drug Benefit Program (25%), which is thought to be more reflective of the impact of the pan-Canadian Generic Value Price Initiative and results going forward.
The data reported in this study represents a snapshot in time. Given the dynamic nature of this market, the PMPRB will continue to report on generic prices in Canada to contribute to the sustainability of the health care system by providing policy makers with relevant and timely analysis to support evidence-based decision making.
The Patented Medicine Prices Review Board protects and informs Canadians by ensuring that the prices of patented medicines sold in Canada are not excessive and by reporting on pharmaceutical trends.
The National Prescription Drug Utilization Information System (NPDUIS) is a research initiative jointly conducted by the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board and the Canadian Institute for Health Information. NPDUIS seeks to provide policy makers and drug plan managers with information and insights on trends in prices, utilization and costs.
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Guillaume Couillard
Director, Board Secretariat, Communications and Strategic Planning
Patented Medicine Prices Review Board
613-954-8299
Guillaume.Couillard@pmprb-cepmb.gc.ca
