Minister Ambrose Launches New Drug and Health Product Inspections Database, Underlines Commitment to Transparency

Searchable tool makes it easy to find details on inspections of drug companies

OTTAWA, April 13, 2015 /CNW/ - Health Minister Rona Ambrose today launched the Drug and Health Product Inspections Database, a new online resource designed to provide ready access to information on inspections of companies that manufacture and sell drug products for the Canadian market.  Canadians can search the site for information on inspection findings, including which companies have a good history of meeting safety and quality standards and which do not.

The tool provides centralized access to plain-language, timely information on inspections. Canadians can use this information to have a better understanding of how Health Canada is enforcing -- and how companies are meeting -- Canada's high standards for drug safety and quality.

Drugs made in Canada or abroad must meet standards known as Good Manufacturing Practices, which are internationally accepted and enforced by health product regulators. Health Canada licenses and regularly inspects companies that make, package/label, test, import, distribute and wholesale drugs. The searchable Drug and Health Product Inspections Database brings together key data about drug establishments and inspection results, including detailed report cards from inspections of drug establishments in Canada and abroad.

The new tool is a milestone under the Regulatory Transparency and Openness Framework, Health Canada's plan for improving access to timely, useful and relevant health and safety information for Canadians.

Quick Facts

• The searchable web tool provides information on both foreign and domestic drug inspections conducted by Health Canada and abroad since 2012.
• Onsite drug inspections are carried out on more than 400 drug companies every year in Canada.
• Health Canada also publishes the Inspection Tracker, which provides a snapshot of emerging issues identified through the inspection program and the actions Health Canada is taking.
• This announcement builds on progress Health Canada has already made under the Regulatory Transparency and Openness Framework, including the recent launch of the Drug and Health Product Register, a new tool designed to become the go-to resource for Canadians looking for quick access to information on hundreds of prescription drugs. 

Quotes

"Canadians deserve to know that they can trust the health products they use. While Health Canada has always enforced internationally accepted manufacturing standards to help ensure the medicines we take are safe and of high quality, Canadians can now have a better understanding of exactly how Health Canada does this and how companies are measuring up."
Rona Ambrose
Minister of Health

Related Links

• Drug and Health Product Inspections 
• About Drug Inspections
• Regulatory Transparency and Openness Framework
• Drug and Health Product Register

Health Canada news releases are available on the Internet at: www.healthcanada.gc.ca/media

SOURCE Health Canada