Ensuring industry stability and supply
We advocate for policies and system-wide solutions that strengthen industry stability and ensure a reliable, uninterrupted supply of medicines for Canadians.
Advocacy
Advocating for Canada’s Pharmaceutical Supply Chain
Canada’s pharmaceutical supply chain operates within a complex, globally interconnected system where policy, pricing, access, and supply dynamics are deeply intertwined. The advocacy issues we focus on, from drug pricing and national pharmacare to global supply chains and drug shortages, are not isolated, they are part of a broader system that directly impacts the availability of medicines for Canadians.
At Vital, we bring a supply chain lens to these issues, recognizing that decisions made at the policy level have real consequences for how medicines are sourced, distributed, and accessed. When policy and supply chain realities are misaligned, the consequences are felt by patients.
Our focus is clear: to support informed, balanced policies that protect system stability, strengthen resilience, and ensure Canadians have reliable access to the therapies they need.
Our Priorities
Advocacy and regulation
We collaborate with provincial and federal governments to shape fair, effective regulations, representing distributors, manufacturers, service providers, and pharmacies to benefit the entire industry.
Innovation and industry leadership
We bring business leaders together to explore new ideas and innovations that drive the industry forward. We also set standards and track global developments to keep our members ahead of change.
Ensuring industry stability and supply
We advocate for policies and system-wide solutions that strengthen industry stability and ensure a reliable, uninterrupted supply of medicines for Canadians.
Advocacy and regulation
We collaborate with provincial and federal governments to shape fair, effective regulations, representing distributors, manufacturers, service providers, and pharmacies to benefit the entire industry.
Innovation and industry leadership
We bring business leaders together to explore new ideas and innovations that drive the industry forward. We also set standards and track global developments to keep our members ahead of change.
Key Advocacy Areas
Where We Take Action
These key areas reflect where we focus our advocacy efforts across Canada’s pharmaceutical supply chain. Explore each topic to learn more about the challenges, priorities, and actions shaping our work.
Global Supply & Trade
Pharmaceutical supply chains are inherently global. Medicines consumed in Canada often rely on ingredients sourced internationally, are manufactured across multiple jurisdictions, and move through highly regulated distribution networks before reaching patients.
Pricing & Market Dynamics
Drug pricing in Canada is shaped by a complex, globally influenced system that balances affordability with a sustainable pharmaceutical supply. At its centre, the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board (PMPRB) ensures patented medicine prices are not excessive while monitoring broader pricing trends.
Regulatory Efficiency & Modernization
Canada’s pharmaceutical supply chain is highly regulated to ensure patient safety, but many regulatory frameworks have not evolved alongside modern distribution practices. As a result, distributors and supply chain partners face a growing burden of outdated, duplicative, or misaligned requirements that add cost, reduce efficiency, and, in some cases, undermine the outcomes they are intended to protect.
Health System Design & National Pharmacare
A sustainable healthcare system must ensure equitable access, high-quality care, and reliable medicine supply over time. In Canada, this remains complex and evolving, shaped by funding models, policy decisions, and global market forces.
Supply Resilience & Access
Access to medicines is the ultimate measure of a successful pharmaceutical supply chain. Yet across Canada, and globally, drug shortages are becoming more frequent, more complex, and more disruptive.
Global Supply & Trade
Pharmaceutical supply chains are inherently global. Medicines consumed in Canada often rely on ingredients sourced internationally, are manufactured across multiple jurisdictions, and move through highly regulated distribution networks before reaching patients.
Pricing & Market Dynamics
Drug pricing in Canada is shaped by a complex, globally influenced system that balances affordability with a sustainable pharmaceutical supply. At its centre, the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board (PMPRB) ensures patented medicine prices are not excessive while monitoring broader pricing trends.
Regulatory Efficiency & Modernization
Canada’s pharmaceutical supply chain is highly regulated to ensure patient safety, but many regulatory frameworks have not evolved alongside modern distribution practices. As a result, distributors and supply chain partners face a growing burden of outdated, duplicative, or misaligned requirements that add cost, reduce efficiency, and, in some cases, undermine the outcomes they are intended to protect.
Health System Design & National Pharmacare
A sustainable healthcare system must ensure equitable access, high-quality care, and reliable medicine supply over time. In Canada, this remains complex and evolving, shaped by funding models, policy decisions, and global market forces.
Supply Resilience & Access
Access to medicines is the ultimate measure of a successful pharmaceutical supply chain. Yet across Canada, and globally, drug shortages are becoming more frequent, more complex, and more disruptive.
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