Health Canada proposes changes to rules on importing prescription heroin

By Andrea Woo

Health Canada is moving to relax rules on importing drugs, such as pharmaceutical-grade heroin, knocking down yet another barrier to a last-resort addiction treatment amid a worsening overdose crisis.

Proposed changes to the federal Food and Drugs Regulations would allow for the bulk importation of drugs not currently marketed or available in Canada as needed in urgent public-health scenarios. While it would apply to public-health emergencies, such as a flu pandemic, federal Health Minister Jane Philpott introduced the legislation with the opioid crisis – and prescription heroin, specifically – in mind.

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