Health Canada suspends Winnipeg-based online pharmacy’s licence, Report

Ottawa has temporarily pulled the licence of one of Canada’s largest Internet pharmacies after an inspection turned up “significant concerns” with the company’s wholesale operations, but the decision has no bearing on the company’s ability to sell hundreds of different drugs directly to patients over the Web.

Health Canada announced Monday that it has suspended indefinitely the establishment licence for Canadadrugs.com, a decision that bars the Winnipeg-based business from shipping medications to other distributors or retail pharmacies.

According to the federal health agency, good manufacturing practices “ensure that drugs are consistently produced and controlled in such a way to meet the quality standards appropriate to their intended use.”

Companies that receive and maintain an establishment licence must comply with the good manufacturing practices as part of the food and drug regulations.

Though its wholesale capabilities have been suspended, Canadadrugs.com is still allowed to sell authorized pharmaceuticals on a direct-to-consumer basis via the internet. The online business is separately licensed as a pharmacy by the College of Pharmacists of Manitoba.

In Canada, provinces are responsible for regulating the practice of pharmacy through their colleges or registrars of physicians and/or pharmacists.

In the release, Heath Canada indicated that it has notified the College of Pharmacists of Manitoba relating to its inspection findings at Canadadrugs.com and subsequent licence suspension.

Agencies/Canadajournal