Innovative Medicines Canada

In April 1914, representatives from ten Canadian pharmaceutical and personal hygiene companies founded the Canadian Association of Manufacturers of Medicinal and Toilet Products.^[5] The organization initially accepted individuals as members as opposed to companies themselves, with the original membership including leading figures from Frederick Stearns & Company, F.W. Horner, John Wyeth & Bros., Toronto Pharmacal, Parke, Davis & Co., Seely Manufacturing, Charles E. Frosst & Co., National Drug & Chemical Co., Lyman Bros. & Co., and Henry K. Wampole & Co.

In 1915, the organization changed its name to the Canadian Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association, and by 1924 had established separate divisions for pharmaceuticals, perfumes and physician supplies.^[6] The name was changed again in 1965 to the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Canada (PMAC), and to Canada’s Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies (Rx&D) in 1999.^[7] Finally, in 2016, the name Innovative Medicines Canada was introduced.^[8]

In 2020, IMC contested price regulation reforms introduced by Government of Canada that would require increased financial reporting from pharmaceutical companies, while simultaneously reducing reporting requirements related to veterinary medicines, over-the-counter drugs and most generic medicines.^[9][10]

Cole Pinnow, President of Pfizer Canada, was announced as the new chair of IMC's Board of Directors in November 2021.^[3] In April 2022, IMC implemented a revised Code of Ethical Practices that included significant changes aimed to reduce the promotional nature of its educational programs.^[11]

IMC is represented on the board of directors for the Pharmaceutical Advertising Advisory Board (PAAB) by Crawford Wright, head of compliance at EMD Serono.^[12]

Members of IMC as of May 2022 include:^[13]

Former members include Actelion, Almirall, Eisai, Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Genome Canada, ProMetic Life Sciences, Purdue Pharma, Sanofi Pasteur, Shire, and Therapure BioPharma.^[14][15][16]

Canada’s Health Research Foundation (HRF) is a non-profit organization that invests in health research in Canadian academic centres, and promotes the benefits and values of research-driven health innovation in Canada. Innovative Medicines Canada members pay an annual contribution of $1 million to the Foundation.^[17]