Madam Speaker, we know the importance of patient access to new therapies for serious or life-threatening conditions. It is the manufacturer's decision to apply to market a product in Canada.
For serious or life-threatening conditions such as cystic fibrosis, physicians may request access to a drug through the special access program. To help Canadians get better access to effective treatments, we are working with provinces, territories and other partners to develop a national strategy for high-cost drugs for rare diseases.