Skip to Main content

11.45°^C Vancouver

News Entertainment Videos Shows Podcast Contact Us

Feb 24, 2023 6:46 PM - The Canadian Press

Head of Canada's drug price regulator resigns same week as colleague steps down

Share On

head-of-canadas-drug-price-regulator-resigns-same-week-as-colleague-steps-down

On Thursday, Matthew Herder, a professor of health law at Dalhousie University, announced he had resigned from the board, accusing the federal government of failing to implement critically important reforms that would lower the cost of medication.

The executive director of Canada's drug pricing regulator is stepping down, just days after another member resigned because of concerns that the federal government was undermining the regulator's work.

Douglas Clark, executive director of the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board, announced today he will be leaving his post after almost a decade with the regulator.

On Thursday, Matthew Herder, a professor of health law at Dalhousie University, announced he had resigned from the board, accusing the federal government of failing to implement critically important reforms that would lower the cost of medication.

Herder said in his resignation letter addressed to federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos that he is stepping down because he no longer believes it is possible to serve the public good in this role, which he had held since 2018.

Herder responded today on social media to news of Clark's resignation, calling it an immense and irreplaceable loss.

Clark has agreed to remain with the board as a special adviser for an unspecified amount of time, and the board says work to appoint Clark’s successor will be launched soon.

The Patented Medicine Prices Review Board regulates the prices of patented medicines sold in Canada.

Latest news

all-b-c-government-liquor-cannabis-stores-now-behind-workers-pickets

All B.C. government liquor, cannabis stores now behind workers' pickets

All remaining British Columbia-run liquor and cannabis stores in the province are now behind picket lines as public service workers step up union job action. The escalation by the BC General Employees' Union also includes all Service BC workers, raising the total number of members participating in job action to almost 25,000. Private liquor and cannabis stores in B.C. remain open, but they are supplied by provincial government distribution warehouses that are also behind picket lines. Service BC provides residents with services related to drivers licensing, income and disability ass

house-committee-adds-language-security-checks-to-lost-canadians-bill

CanadaOct 08, 2025

House committee adds language, security checks to 'Lost Canadians' bill

The House of Commons immigration committee is recommending most adults eligible for birthright citizenship under the "Lost Canadians" bill fulfil similar requirements to immigrant applicants, on language, knowledge of Canadian history and security checks. MPs on the committee adopted amendments on Tuesday to Bill C-3, which will go back to the House of Commons for approval. The bill responds to a 2023 Ontario court ruling overturning a Stephen Harper-era law which prohibited Canadians born aboard from passing down citizenship if their children were not born in Canada The bill proposes that in

canada-post-union-set-for-meeting-with-ottawa-as-strike-stretches-on

CanadaOct 08, 2025

Canada Post union set for meeting with Ottawa as strike stretches on

The union representing striking Canada Post employees says it will meet with the federal minister in charge of the Crown corporation after accusing Ottawa of trampling on the collective bargaining process. Postal workers took to the picket lines nearly two weeks ago after Procurement Minister Joël Lightbound announced sweeping changes to Canada Post's mandate that would allow the struggling postal service to overhaul its operations in the midst of negotiations with the union. The Canadian Union of Postal Workers is asking the minister to roll back the changes that include permitting the end o

cadaver-dogs-fail-to-find-remains-in-search-for-missing-nova-scotia-children

CanadaOct 08, 2025

Cadaver dogs fail to find remains in search for missing Nova Scotia children

Nova Scotia RCMP say two tracking dogs trained to search for human remains have failed to find any trace of two children reported missing from their rural home more than five months ago. The Mounties say that in late September, the two cadaver dogs and their handlers covered 40 kilometres around the small community of Lansdowne Station, N.S., where six-year-old Lilly Sullivan and her four-year-old brother Jack were reported missing May 2. Investigators say the dogs searched the property in the province's northeast where the children went missing, trails along and near a pipeline, and an area w

transportation-safety-board-sending-team-to-accident-site-near-squamish-b-c

Transportation Safety Board sending team to accident site near Squamish, B.C.

The Transportation Safety Board says it's sending a team of investigators to the site of a helicopter crash near Squamish, B.C., that occurred this morning. Board spokesman Chris Krepski says the accident happened just before 9:30 a.m. and involved a Bell 214 B1 helicopter that was carrying an external load. Krepski says the pilot was taken to Vancouver with serious injuries. He says the board couldn't confirm who the owner of the aircraft is, and could only share preliminary information after receiving a report. He says more information about the crash will be available once investigators arr

Related News

House committee adds language, security checks to 'Lost Canadians' bill

House committee adds language, security checks to 'Lost Canadians' bill

The House of Commons immigration committee is recommending most adults eligible for birthright citizenship under the "Lost Canadians" bill fulfil similar requirements to immigrant applicants, on language, knowledge of Canadian history and security checks. MPs on the committee adopted amendments on Tuesday to Bill C-3, which will go back to the House of Commons for approval. The bill responds to a 2023 Ontario court ruling overturning a Stephen Harper-era law which prohibited Canadians born aboard from passing down citizenship if their children were not born in Canada The bill proposes that in

Canada Post union set for meeting with Ottawa as strike stretches on

Canada Post union set for meeting with Ottawa as strike stretches on

The union representing striking Canada Post employees says it will meet with the federal minister in charge of the Crown corporation after accusing Ottawa of trampling on the collective bargaining process. Postal workers took to the picket lines nearly two weeks ago after Procurement Minister Joël Lightbound announced sweeping changes to Canada Post's mandate that would allow the struggling postal service to overhaul its operations in the midst of negotiations with the union. The Canadian Union of Postal Workers is asking the minister to roll back the changes that include permitting the end o

Cadaver dogs fail to find remains in search for missing Nova Scotia children

Cadaver dogs fail to find remains in search for missing Nova Scotia children

Nova Scotia RCMP say two tracking dogs trained to search for human remains have failed to find any trace of two children reported missing from their rural home more than five months ago. The Mounties say that in late September, the two cadaver dogs and their handlers covered 40 kilometres around the small community of Lansdowne Station, N.S., where six-year-old Lilly Sullivan and her four-year-old brother Jack were reported missing May 2. Investigators say the dogs searched the property in the province's northeast where the children went missing, trails along and near a pipeline, and an area w

Legals

Journalism code of ethics

© 2021 AKASH Broadcasting Inc.

MANAGED BY STRATWIT

useful links

Accessibility Plan

BC Children's Hospital