Canadian Drug Agency Transition Office
The Canadian Drug Agency Transition Office was responsible for developing options for a vision, mandate and plan to create a Canadian drug agency. The office sunset its activities in spring of 2024 following the launch of Canada's Drug Agency.
On this page
About the office
The Government of Canada launched the Canadian Drug Agency Transition Office (CDATO) in spring 2021, to work with provinces, territories and key stakeholders on a vision, mandate and plan to:
- establish a Canadian drug agency (the CDA)
- improve pharmaceutical system coordination
This was supported by a Budget 2019 investment of $35 million over 4 years to establish the CDATO. The December 2021 mandate letter to the Minister of Health and Budget 2022 confirmed this commitment.
Provinces and territories, stakeholders and landmark reports had underscored the need for federal leadership to address drug system gaps, including:
- fragmentation
- inadequate infrastructure
- poor return on investment
As a result, CDATO was established to advance work on national pharmaceutical objectives and provide dedicated leadership and resources to support federal-provincial-territorial discussions.
Budget 2019 also included initiatives to develop a national formulary and a national strategy for drugs for rare diseases.
Learn more:
- Moving Forward on Implementing National Pharmacare | Budget 2019
- Chapter 6: Strong Public Health Care | Budget 2022
- Minister of Health Mandate Letter (December 2021)
- Building a National Strategy for Drugs for Rare Diseases: What We Heard from Canadians
Who we worked with
Between 2021 and 2023, the CDATO held over 400 meetings and roundtables to hear from key health system partners and experts. This was to ensure that the CDA reflected diverse insights and needs, including the perspectives of those with lived experiences. These included:
- provincial and territorial governments
- pan-Canadian health organizations like:
- the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH)
- the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI)
- Canada Health Infoway (CHI)
- patients, their families and their advocates
- stakeholders in the health sector and academia
- prescribers, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals
- insurers, developers and manufacturers of pharmaceutical products and services
The CDATO received thoughtful advice on the potential scope and functions of a future CDA.
What we accomplished
To support early development, the CDATO advanced work across the functional areas of the future CDA.
Appropriate prescribing and use
Collaborated with leaders in the appropriate use field to improve health outcomes and ensure patients are prescribed the safest and most effective treatments for their conditions.
In March 2023, established the Appropriate Use Advisory Committee to provide guidance and recommendations for the development of a pan-Canadian Appropriate Use Strategy and program for the CDA. The committee's final report and recommendations were delivered in June 2024.
Learn more:
Data and analytics
Worked with partners to expand and improve access to drug and health data and analysis to inform:
- public drug plans
- appropriate prescribing and use
- other pressing health-decisions
In December 2023, started the pan-Canadian Prescription Drug Data Initiative with system partners to accelerate collaboration projects and collective impact.
Coordination
Partnered to build a CDA that is well-positioned to adapt and evolve to address the ever-changing pharmaceuticals landscape.
Engaged stakeholders and partners to advance CDA functions and identify opportunities and mechanisms for ongoing collaboration. Engagement had an emphasis on incorporating patients and people with lived and living experience.
On December 18, 2023, the Government of Canada announced plans to build the CDA from CADTH, in partnership with provinces and territories. This was supported by an investment of $89.5 million over 5 years.
In early 2024, the CDATO worked closely with CADTH to support initial implementation and the transfer of these activities to the CDA.
CADTH officially launched as Canada's Drug Agency (CDA-AMC) on May 1, 2024, and started to assume implementation of the new workstreams.
CDA-AMC incorporates and expands on CADTH's expertise in the pharmaceutical sector, including its strong leadership and technical proficiency. CDA-AMC builds on CADTH's previous mandate and functions (health technology assessment, post-market safety and effectiveness), expanding to include new workstreams:
- Improving the appropriate prescribing and use of medications, for better patient health and to support system sustainability.
- Increasing pan-Canadian data collection and expanding access to drug and treatment data, including real-world evidence data, to:
- better support patients
- inform health decisions
- enable robust system data analytics
- Reducing drug system duplication and lack of coordination that causes expensive inefficiencies and pressures.
CDA-AMC will also support important activities outlined in Bill C-64 An Act respecting pharmacare, including developing:
- a national bulk purchasing strategy
- a pan-Canada strategy regarding the appropriate use of prescription drugs and related products
- a list of essential prescription drugs and related products to inform the development of a national formulary
Learn more:
- The Government of Canada announces the creation of the Canadian Drug Agency
- CADTH Is Now Canada's Drug Agency (Canada's Drug Agency)
- Bill C-64 An Act respecting pharmacare (Parliament of Canada)
Contact us
Office of Pharmaceuticals Management Strategies
Strategic Policy Branch
Health Canada
Brooke Claxton Building
70 Colombine Driveway
Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9
Email: hc.opms-bsgpp.sc@canada.ca