Drugs and health products

Subjects

• Advisories, Warnings and Recalls
• Biologics, Radiopharmaceuticals and Genetic Therapies
• Compliance and Enforcement
• Device Drug Interface
• Drug Products
• Funding and Fees
• Hard surface disinfectants and hand sanitizers (COVID-19)
  
• International Activities
• MedEffect Canada (adverse reactions)
• Medical Devices
• Medical Use of Marijuana
• Natural Health Products
• Public Involvement and Consultations
• Regulatory Requirements for Advertising
• Special Access to Drugs and Health Products
• Surface disinfectants for emerging viral pathogens
• Veterinary Drugs
• Legislation and Guidelines
• Reports and Publications
• Improving the regulatory review of drugs and devices
  

COVID-19

Latest developments on drugs and health products related to COVID-19.

• Updated requirements for COVID-19 drug authorizations: Notice [2021-03-31]
• Health Canada's regulatory response to COVID-19: Access to health products [2020-07-03]
• Interim order respecting the importation and sale of medical devices for use in relation to COVID-19 [2020-03-18]
• COVID-19 health product industry [2020-04-01]
• Interim Order Respecting Drugs, Medical Devices and Foods for a Special Dietary Purpose in Relation to COVID-19 [2020-04-05]
• Medical device shortages [2020-04-05]
• Interim Order Respecting Clinical Trials for Medical Devices and Drugs Relating to COVID-19 [2020-05-27]
• Interim Order Respecting the Importation, Sale and Advertising of Drugs for Use in Relation to COVID-19 [2020-09-17]
• Interim Order Respecting the Prevention and Alleviation of Shortages of Drugs in Relation to COVID-19 [2020-10-19]
• Notice for industry: Ensuring predictability for interim orders relating to COVID-19 [2020-11-23]
• COVID-19 Treatments [2020-12-08]
• COVID-19 Vaccines [2020-12-08]

More highlights

Health Canada plays an active role in ensuring that you have access to safe and effective drugs and health products. The Department strives to maintain a balance between the potential health benefits and risks posed by all drugs and health products. Our highest priority in determining the balance is public safety.

Working together with other levels of government, health care professionals, patient and consumer interest groups, research communities and manufacturers, our department endeavours to minimize the health risk factors to you and maximize the safety provided by the regulatory system for these products.

We also strive to provide you with the information you need to make healthy choices and informed decisions about your health.

Health Canada is not a manufacturer or distributor of drugs and health products. We are the federal regulator. For additional drug information related to treatment options or where drugs or health products are sold, please contact your health professional or the individual company directly.

Features

• Mandatory reporting requirements for hospitals
• Device Advice: e-Learning tool
• Improving the regulatory review of drugs and devices
• Access to Drugs in Exceptional Circumstances
• Drug and Health Product Register
• Canada's opioid crisis
• Get recalls and safety alerts
• Prescription Drug List
• Regulatory Innovation Agenda for Health Products
• Assisted Human Reproduction
• Advisories, Warnings & Recalls
• Drug Product Database
• Special Access Programme - Drugs
• Licensed Natural Health Products Database
• Contact Drugs and Health Products Resources

What is available?

Health Canada is committed to providing timely access to sound, evidence-based information. We want to ensure that Canadians remain up-to-date on current developments and issues pertaining to drugs and health products in Canada.

Related resources

• Food and Drugs Act Liaison Office
• Classification of Health Products at the Device-Drug Interface
• Classification of Products under the Food and Drugs Act (FDA)
• Regulatory Innovation Agenda for Health Products
• Information about Nanotechnology-Based Health Products and Food.
• Access to Therapeutic Products: The Regulatory Process in Canada. This publication describes how therapeutic products in Canada make their way from the laboratory to the marketplace.
• Find more information about biotechnology-based health products in the Science and Research section of our Web site.
• Chemical Substances Portal