As originally published in NPC Healthbiz Weekly (Issue #356) in February 2026.
IMC’s Bettina Hamelin argues that Canada has the core assets to be a global leader, but systemic bottlenecks are stifling investment and patient care.
Canada has the talent and industrial capacity to lead in the life sciences, says Bettina Hamelin. However, the President of Innovative Medicines Canada notes that slow adoption of innovation, regulatory delays, and political uncertainty continue to limit the industry. “It takes about two years after Health Canada approves a drug for these medicines to get on public formularies,” she said, speaking on the NPC Podcast.
Hamelin also pointed to significant regional disparities in drug access, with patients in some provinces waiting much longer than others for the same therapies. She said these disparities have become a significant barrier for companies that are considering investing in Canada, adding that while Health Canada has improved its approach and approvals are faster than before, challenges remain in the system.
Hamelin [pictured below] noted that trade policy has also become an urgent matter for the pharma industry. She said that the inclusion of pharmaceuticals on the list of potential retaliatory tariff measures by the Canadian government could have serious consequences. “Patients’ lives should not be a bargaining chip in negotiations,” she said. According to Hamelin, proposed tariffs could affect about Cdn$4 billion in imports, adding an estimated Cdn$1 billion in costs to an already strained healthcare system. She also pointed out possible compliance risks, noting that tariff-driven price increases could create legal and contractual challenges for companies.
Tariffs could worsen existing drug shortages and disrupt already complex global supply chains, Hamelin said. She noted that pharma’s supply chains are deeply interconnected, with different stages of production often taking place in different countries. Changes to established supply pathways could have serious consequences for patient access. “Medicines are not commodities like other things that are being debated,” she said. “That’s why they should be completely excluded from this whole retaliatory debate.”
Despite these challenges, Hamelin expressed optimism about Canada’s life sciences industry. “Canada has incredible talent, a highly educated workforce, world-leading universities and strong institutional science,” she said. “We have a sophisticated network of life sciences organizations, with excellence in artificial intelligence and digital health.”
She also mentioned a strong community of entrepreneurs working closely with industry and research institutions to translate scientific advances into real-world applications. She said that these assets position Canada to become a stronger global leader if stakeholders work collaboratively.
Bottom Line: Looking ahead, Hamelin believes that AI and genomics will define the next decade of healthcare innovation. She added that AI will accelerate every aspect of the industry, from research and development to diagnosis and system-level processes. “Obviously, there will need to be guardrails, ethics, and oversight, but innovation brings enormous opportunity,” she said. Biotechnology, she added, is an area that particularly excites her. “That is where we will see major progress, especially as we move further into [disease] prevention,” she said.
