Perspectives on the Common Drug Review Process at the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health

Abstract

The Common Drug Review (CDR) is a federal review process that provides funding and adoption recommendations to Canadian provinces and territories on non-oncological drugs. This chapter will begin with providing an introduction to the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) and its role within the Canadian health-care system and will then describe and provide a commentary on the intricacies of the CDR process. The pathway of the CDR process is then outlined, from manufacturer submission, to the formation and evaluation of that submission by a review team, to the dissemination and publication of final recommendations from a pan-Canadian Drug Expert Committee. In addition to the CDR process pathway, details on key factors considered and desired in HTA submissions are outlined (large disease burden or an unmet need), as well as the recommended methodology manufacturers should consider when conducting clinical trials and cost-effectiveness models. This chapter then discusses CADTH’s performance, as reviewed by other organizations against fellow international HTA agencies. Based on the discussed strengths and limitations, the chapter concludes with providing future direction, encouraging CADTH’s continued focus on improved transparency and responsiveness while also urging them to conduct continued reviews (past the adoption milestone) that manage obsolescence and facilitate evidence translation.