Canada's pharmaceutical and healthcare system could face significant changes after a federal task force released a major report calling for faster medicine approvals, stronger domestic drug supply chains and greater investment in health innovation.

The Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences Sector Task Force submitted 39 recommendations to the federal health and industry ministers on July 24. The group said Canada needs a more coordinated approach to pharmaceutical policy to improve patient access while strengthening the country's health sovereignty and life sciences sector.

Among the recommendations is a push for Health Canada to expand its reliance on trusted foreign regulators for certain innovative medicines. The task force also proposed flexible or rolling regulatory reviews and a dedicated regulatory navigation service to help companies move products through the approval process more efficiently.

The report also highlights Canada's clinical-trial infrastructure, health data and artificial intelligence capabilities. Recommendations include pan-Canadian ethics and contracting standards, stronger national clinical-trial infrastructure, improved health-data systems and support for AI applications in healthcare and public-health planning.

For patients, one of the central issues is timely and affordable access to innovative medicines. The task force argues that regulatory delays, fragmented systems and supply-chain vulnerabilities can affect both healthcare outcomes and Canada's ability to attract pharmaceutical investment.

Health Minister Marjorie Michel and Industry Minister Mélanie Joly said the government will carefully consider the recommendations as Ottawa works to improve pharmaceutical access and strengthen Canada's life sciences sector. The recommendations are advisory and do not represent government decisions yet.