Canadian drug safety initiative wins global support in campaign to have funding restored

An independent drug watchdog, the Therapeutics Initiative,1 has received national and international support in its campaign to persuade the government of the province of British Columbia in Canada to restore its funding.

In an open letter2 released on 2 October, Canadian Doctors for Medicare and other signatories from around the world (including representatives of the Public Health Association of British Columbia, the Canadian Health Coalition, PharmaWatch Canada, Canadian Women’s Health Network, Health Action International, and the International Society of Independent Drug Bulletins) called on British Columbia’s premier and provincial government to restore funding to the Therapeutics Initiative.

The drug watchdog was established almost 20 …