: He criticized then-Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos for intervening on behalf of the pharmaceutical industry by asking the board to suspend consultations on new pricing guidelines.
In February 2023, , a member of Canada’s Patented Medicine Prices Review Board (PMPRB) , resigned in a blistering letter to the federal government. Herder , a health law expert at Dalhousie University , accused the Liberal government of failing to support "real change" and undermining the regulator's independence to favor the pharmaceutical industry. Key Reasons for Resignation : He criticized then-Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos for
Herder’s departure was prompted by what he described as the government’s "unwillingness to support real change" in drug pricing reform. His specific grievances included: and Switzerland
Herder’s resignation was followed shortly by the resignation of PMPRB Executive Director , signaling a leadership crisis at the agency. This turmoil occurred after a decade-long effort to modernize pricing rules in Canada, where drug prices remain among the highest in the world , second only to the U.S. and Switzerland. Resignations at Canada's drug pricing panel raise ... - PMC effectively "eviscerating" the government’s own policy.
: He pointed to the government's decision not to appeal a Quebec Court of Appeal ruling that struck down several core pricing reforms, effectively "eviscerating" the government’s own policy.
: Herder stated the government’s actions were "largely indistinguishable in form and substance from industry talking points," leaving the regulator in an "endless tunnel with no light". Context and Fallout
: Herder noted that the federal government delayed the introduction of new pricing regulations four separate times, accepting industry claims that more time was needed.