“Can Canada Harness Its Potential to Become a Leader in the Life Sciences?” An Op-ed by Dr. Jason Field, President and CEO of Life Sciences Ontario
With each passing day, medical science is pushing the boundaries of what we once thought possible.
Our understanding of the human genome and the genetic basis of disease has exploded, reaching a crucial tipping point of being able to generate the types of health benefits of which we could previously only dream.
Some of the new health innovations on the horizon are nothing short of revolutionary – they border on stuff we’ve only seen in science fiction movies.
“CRISPR-based gene editing tools hold the promise of correcting the root genetic causes of diseases like cystic fibrosis, sickle cell disease, and muscular dystrophy.”
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For instance, CRISPR-based gene editing tools hold the promise of correcting the root genetic causes of diseases like cystic fibrosis, sickle cell disease, and muscular dystrophy. With the help of these tools, in the future, we won’t just be able to treat many diseases but actually cure people of them.
Immunotherapies, which harness our own immune systems to fight cancer, are also game-changers in our efforts to treat people with certain types of cancer. These treatments use an entirely new mechanism to fight cancer. They don’t target the tumour cells; instead, they activate the immune system. This approach has delivered tremendous results and has allowed some patients with metastatic cancers to consider a brighter future. What was once a dire diagnosis has now turned into a manageable condition for many.
Furthermore, advancements in regenerative medicine, such as stem cell therapy, have paved the way for tissue engineering and organ transplantation. Today, people who might benefit from stem cell therapies include those with leukemia, Hodgkin disease, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and some solid tumour cancers. Stem cells are also being studied to treat type 1 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, heart failure, osteoarthritis, and other conditions.
Importantly, the benefits we’re now seeing with these ground-breaking new tools are possible because of basic scientific discoveries, some of which – like in the case of stem cell therapies – took place right here in Canada. We are truly on the cusp of what promises to be a new golden age for medical research and advancement.
Canadian Leadership in the Life Sciences
Canada now faces a crucial choice. It can ignore or fight these technological advances by shutting the door to healthcare innovation and concluding that what we do now is “good enough.” The other option is to embrace the dramatic changes in science and healthcare and harness them for the benefit of both patients and our economic development.
The answer should be clear. Canada has not just an opportunity but an imperative to be a leader in this new era of medical innovation.
The good news is that we’re not starting from square one. Canada already has a well-established life sciences sector, directly and indirectly employing hundreds of thousands of Canadians and contributing billions to our national GDP. Throughout the years, our scientists and research institutes have made significant contributions to medical research and discovery. We truly have all the right ingredients to be a global leader in life sciences.
However, there is broad consensus that the sector is not achieving its full potential. With the right investment and support, Canada can spur unprecedented life sciences growth and become a beacon of medical progress and economic prosperity.
In this context, one of the key obstacles that has prevented Canada from realizing its full potential in the life sciences is the lack of a cohesive approach that can help us get to that next level.
“We need a more attractive commercial environment for health and biosciences companies – one that encourages investment, drives innovation, and ensures that new health technologies are able to reach hospitals, clinics, and patients.”
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In particular, we need a more attractive commercial environment for health and biosciences companies – one that encourages investment, drives innovation, and ensures that new health technologies are able to reach hospitals, clinics, and patients.
Obstacles to Overcome
As governments contemplate how to build these capabilities, the question that needs to be asked is why we don’t already have them. Despite our country’s strengths and investments in science and research, we still lack a life sciences manufacturing base or the type of homegrown billion-dollar biotech success stories that we see in other jurisdictions.
Recent federal and provincial investments and strategies to build our country’s bio-manufacturing and life sciences capabilities are important, but they are not enough. Importantly, Canada’s regulatory environment is difficult to navigate, duplicative, costly, and riddled with hurdles that prevent the rapid adoption of new innovations.
“It takes an average of 1,476 days to add a new medicine to a public drug formulary in Canada compared with 647 days in Europe and 530 days in the US.”
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To put things in perspective, it takes an average of 1,476 days to add a new medicine to a public drug formulary in Canada compared with 647 days in Europe and 530 days in the US. Between 2018 and 2022, Health Canada approved only 166 medicines, while 214 were approved in Europe and 241 were approved in the US.
Unfortunately, these challenges have had a massive impact on Canada’s access to new medicines and life sciences investments.
As regulators grapple with modernizing Canada’s drug review landscape, their efforts have unfortunately focused primarily on layering in additional government programs and initiatives on top of existing outdated processes. It’s like applying a fresh coat of paint over crumbling drywall – it might provide superficial benefits, but it neglects to address the more deep-rooted issues that are really holding us back.
All-Hands-On-Deck
Instead of adding more coats of paint, we need an all-hands-on-deck approach to rebuild the system. Specifically, we need to simplify existing processes and address current bottlenecks. This will help clear the way for promising innovations to rapidly move from conception through clinical trials, manufacturing, regulatory approval, comparative evaluation and, ultimately, adoption into our healthcare systems and patient populations.
“Canada needs a comprehensive life cycle approach in the biopharmaceutical sector – not just upstream funding – to help turbo-charge Canada’s life sciences prospects.”
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Leading jurisdictions are set up for success, so we don’t have to start from scratch; we can apply what works. Western Europe and the US have competitive intellectual property protections, orphan drug pathways and incentives, fast-track funding opportunities, and dedicated budgets to finance health system procurement and reimbursement of emerging health technologies.
Canada needs a comprehensive life cycle approach in the biopharmaceutical sector – not just upstream funding – to help turbo-charge Canada’s life sciences prospects. This will not only enhance patient access to cutting-edge therapies but also bolster Canada’s attractiveness as a destination for life sciences investment.
In sum, unlocking the life sciences sector’s potential to deliver cascading benefits across our health system and economy will require a long-term, multi-pronged, and coordinated life sciences vision and strategy. We finally got a federal plan in 2021, and now, over half of the ten Canadian provinces have life sciences strategies. However, we need governments to come together as Team Canada to make them effective and coordinated. It will also require collaboration between the public and private sectors and a more supportive business and policy environment for companies.
The time to act is now. Let us seize this opportunity to propel Canada to the forefront of global medical innovation and secure a brighter, healthier future for generations to come.
The post “Can Canada Harness Its Potential to Become a Leader in the Life Sciences?” An Op-ed by Dr. Jason Field, President and CEO of Life Sciences Ontario first appeared on Life Sciences Ontario Site.