In 2002 Canada‘s Patented Medicines Prices Review Board compared research and development spending by the innovative pharmaceutical industry in Canada with France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. It determined that although R&D spending in Canada has increased from 1995 to 2000, Canada’s ratio of R&D to domestic sales ranked behind all other industrialized countries, except Italy.

In 2002 Canada‘s Patented Medicines Prices Review Board compared research and development spending by the innovative pharmaceutical industry in Canada with France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. It determined that although R&D spending in Canada has increased from 1995 to 2000, Canada’s ratio of R&D to domestic sales ranked behind all other industrialized countries, except Italy.

In 2000, total R&D spending in pharmaceuticals by Canada and the seven other major countries was $53.4 billion. R&D spending by Canada’s research-based pharmaceutical companies accounted for 1.8% of this amount. In addition, Canada’s pharmaceutical sales accounted for 3.4% of the $275 billion in total sales of the eight countries surveyed.

Recognizing and encouraging innovation requires a commitment from government to promote measures that: provide appropriate levels of patent protection, allow a timely and efficient review of new drug submissions and improve pharmaceutical market conditions by ensuring that Canadian patients get better access to new approved medicines.