Proposed amendments to The Food and Drugs Act embedded in the omnibus bill An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget (Bill C-69) may significantly impact Canadian healthcare. The bill amends legislation that deals with the safety and quality guidelines for therapeutic products sold in Canada, jeopardizes the tenets of informed consent, and may limit the treatment choices for Canadians. It also introduces a framework for foreign influence in Canadian health legislation. Considering the push towards the expedited approval of novel therapies for use by the general Canadian public, this is a time to strengthen the safety regulations for therapeutic products, not weaken them.
