FAQs

I’m a pharmaceutical manufacturer who is new to the pCPA process. What is the first step?

To help understand the pCPA’s role within the Canadian drug approval and reimbursement landscape, please review the pCPA Brand Process Guidelines. If you have additional questions, please contact us at [email protected].

Do the pCPA member jurisdictions buy drugs in bulk through the pCPA in order to get a discount?

The pCPA member jurisdictions do not bulk buy drugs through the pCPA. The pCPA enters into negotiations with manufacturers, from which, if successful, a letter of intent (LOI) is created. The LOI lists the terms and conditions for funding a drug which are used to create a product listing agreement (PLA) between each participating member jurisdiction and the manufacturer.

How is the patient perspective incorporated?

pCPA recognizes the valuable input and knowledge that patient groups provide to the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technology and Health (CADTH) as part of the Health Technology Assessment (HTA) process. This patient perspective provides a context that is a necessary and vital component to pCPA processes in understanding the need and value when considering a drug for negotiation. Further to that, any letters, documents, and other additional information or requests for in-person meetings can be directed to [email protected].

Why did the pCPA become a standalone corporation?

The pCPA Office was established in 2015. At that time, Ontario agreed to host and staff the Office and as such the Office was subject to Ontario rules and regulations.

An organizational review conducted in 2019 to assess pCPA’s current and future roles recognized the importance of this rare collaboration of provincial, territorial and federal governments, which has enabled the sharing of resources and expertise to achieve its objectives. It also recommended that the pCPA become a standalone organization to better respond to the demands of the rapidly evolving pharmaceutical landscape. The transition to a standalone organization as wells as other changes recommended by the organizational review were anchored in pCPA’s 2022–24 strategic plan. As a result of these collective efforts, the standalone pCPA corporation was established in late 2022, and the transition was completed in 2023. The new organizational structure, along with an increase in internal

How is the pCPA funded?

The pCPA is funded by all participating jurisdictions.

I would like to request that pCPA speak at a seminar/function.  Who should I send my request to?

You can forward any speaking requests to the pCPA at [email protected].

I would like some information on a specific negotiation. What information can you share?

The pCPA can confirm if it is in a negotiation and at what stage it is at, but cannot comment any further to that in order to respect the confidentiality requirements inherent to the negotiation process.

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