Canada launches new database on drug and health product inspections

Canada’s Health Minister Rona Ambrose this week launched the Drug Health 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.

This will mean that 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 (GMP), 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.