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Press releases July 24, 2026

Federal task force report marks important step for Canada’s life sciences sector

Innovative Medicines Canada (IMC) acknowledges today’s publication of the Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences Sector Task Force report by the ministers of health and industry, featuring recommendations to improve patient access to life-saving medications. Turning these recommendations into urgent action will be critical given recent global drug policy shifts triggered by U.S. most-favoured nation pricing, which are already influencing where innovative medicines are launched.

Press releases July 23, 2026

IMC welcomes premiers’ call for sustainable healthcare funding

Innovative Medicines Canada (IMC) welcomes today’s call from Canada’s Premiers, issued at the Council of the Federation’s Summer Meeting in Charlottetown, for sustainable federal funding to help provinces and territories continue delivering timely, high-quality healthcare—including access to innovative medicines. 

In the news July 21, 2026

Opinion: It’s faster to fly a human around the moon than to get a new drug to Canadians

This spring, Canada made history when astronaut Jeremy Hansen became the first Canadian to fly around the moon in NASA’s Artemis II mission. It took nearly a decade of training, engineering and preparation to get there. It took only 10 days to complete the mission itself.

In the news June 25, 2026

Canada’s wait for new medicines is long — and about to get longer

There’s a quiet crisis unfolding behind closed doors. Canadians have the longest wait times in the G7 for public access to new and innovative medicines — the patented, breakthrough kind that treat cancer, autoimmune disorders, and rare and infectious diseases. In addition, only 18 per cent of new drugs launched globally are available through Canadian public drug plans. Now, global drug policy changes, triggered by a new U.S. policy, threaten to widen this gap further. 

In the news June 11, 2026

Canada’s innov­a­tion gap: why your access to medi­cines is at risk

Some­where in Canada today, a patient is sit­ting in a doc­tor’s office, receiv­ing news that will change everything for them and their fam­ily. They’re hear­ing those ter­ri­fy­ing words—stage-four can­cer—and feel­ing the walls close in. They’re think­ing about their chil­dren, their part­ner, and their par­ents. They’re think­ing about how much time they have and what they’d do with it. Then, they learn that the treat­ment most likely to save their life exists—but it’s not avail­able in Canada, and no one can say when it will be.

In the news June 09, 2026

The case for fixing Canada’s innovation gap

The global rules governing how innovative medicines are valued and priced are being rewritten— and Canada must be ready. By […]

In the news April 28, 2026

A critical moment for Canada: Ensuring world-leading access to innovative medicines

In this episode of From the Burgundy Chairs, Santis Health Senior Advisor Avis Favaro sits down with Dr. Bettina Hamelin, President & CEO of Innovative Medicines Canada. Their conversation focuses on a shared vision for the future: moving past old hurdles through meaningful partnership to support a thriving innovation economy and a healthier Canada.

In the news April 22, 2026

The task force that could get things right for Canadian patients

When the federal government launched its Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences Sector Task Force on March 18, it demonstrated that Ottawa is finally connecting two conversations that should never have been separated: how we build a stronger Canada, and how we ensure Canadians have access to the medicines they need.

In the news April 10, 2026

Interview with Bettina Hamelin in Investment Reports

Over the past year, have you seen any changes in Canada’s regulatory environment that make the system faster, more efficient, or easier for innovative medicines?

Overall, the issue persists, but we are seeing progress on two fronts. One is at the level of Health Canada, which has seriously tackled the opportunity for regulatory reliance. That means relying on trusted agencies such as the FDA and European regulators instead of redoing all of the reviews. The expectation is that this will speed up the process at the regulator level. The policy is currently under consultation, and we have submitted our views.

In the news March 24, 2026

Your access to medicines is at risk

As originally published by Bettina Hamelin on LinkedIn on 24 March 2026 By Bettina Hamelin Recent global drug policy changes […]

Statements March 18, 2026

IMC Statement on new federal government task force

Ottawa, March 18, 2026 – Canada must strengthen its approach to pharmaceutical innovation in a rapidly evolving global environment. Today’s […]

In the news February 11, 2026

Canada can’t afford to wait for leadership in pharmaceutical innovation

The new U.S. drug pricing approach forces a choice, but it doesn’t limit our ambition. We need a new, coordinated […]