Abstract
Antiviral medications are the only influenza-specific pharmaceutical intervention that can be used to mitigate the impact of a pandemic until a vaccine becomes available. The Canadian Pandemic Influenza Preparedness: Planning Guidance for the Health Sector (CPIP) outlines how federal, provincial and territorial governments will work together to ensure a coordinated and consistent health sector approach to pandemic influenza preparedness and response. This article summarizes Canada’s pandemic influenza antiviral strategy as described in the recently updated CPIP Antiviral Annex. The antiviral strategy builds on lessons learned during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic. Key elements of the strategy include ensuring equitable, timely and coordinated access to antivirals through government stockpiles; having regulatory mechanisms in place that facilitate timely access to antivirals; providing timely and evidence-based clinical guidance; maintaining effective stockpile management practices; and monitoring antiviral utilization, effectiveness and safety. Since the CPIP is an evergreen document, this Annex will be updated as new information warrants.
Highlights
Antiviral drugs are an integral component of Canada’s pandemic preparedness and response plan
Antivirals are the only influenza-specific pharmaceutical countermeasure that can be used to mitigate the impact of an influenza pandemic in the 4–6 months prior to vaccine availability, using the current egg-based vaccine production technology
The CPIP Antiviral Annex provides technical advice for federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) ministries of health and other government departments that have roles in providing health care to select populations. It describes the specific roles and responsibilities of those involved in providing equitable, coordinated and timely access to antivirals for eligible people living in Canada via FPT stockpiles, enabling regulatory mechanisms, provision of clinical guidance, stockpile management and the monitoring of antiviral use, safety and effectiveness
Summary
Antiviral drugs are an integral component of Canada’s pandemic preparedness and response plan. Canada’s renewed antiviral strategy is outlined in the updated Canadian Pandemic Influenza Preparedness: Planning Guidance for the Health Sector (CPIP) Antiviral Annex [1,2]. The CPIP Antiviral Annex provides technical advice for federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) ministries of health and other government departments that have roles in providing health care to select populations. It describes the specific roles and responsibilities of those involved in providing equitable, coordinated and timely access to antivirals for eligible people living in Canada via FPT stockpiles, enabling regulatory mechanisms, provision of clinical guidance, stockpile management and the monitoring of antiviral use, safety and effectiveness
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