As of May 1, 2024, the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) officially became CDA-AMC, the Canada Drug Agency or Agence des medicaments du Canada. The rebranding is more than a name change. It signals a broader mandate and a more central role in how Canada manages prescription drugs.
What Was CADTH?
CADTH was established in 1989 as a national body providing evidence-based recommendations on the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of drugs, medical devices, and health technologies. Provincial and territorial drug plans relied on CADTH reviews when deciding which medications to list on their formularies.
While CADTH's work was respected, its scope was limited primarily to health technology assessments (HTAs). It evaluated whether a drug worked and whether it was worth the cost, but it did not have a direct role in shaping how medications were prescribed, dispensed, or used in practice.
What Is CDA-AMC?
The new Canada Drug Agency retains CADTH's core HTA function but adds several responsibilities. CDA-AMC's expanded mandate includes improving the prescribing and use of prescription medications across the country, supporting the implementation of Canada's Pharmacare Act, contributing to a more coordinated national approach to drug assessment and procurement, and providing guidance on appropriate medication use to healthcare providers and patients.
This expanded role positions CDA-AMC as a key player in the federal government's broader pharmacare strategy. Rather than simply evaluating drugs after they reach the market, the agency will now be involved in shaping how those drugs are integrated into clinical practice.
The Pharmacare Connection
The rebranding coincides with the passage of the Pharmacare Act (Bill C-64), which received Royal Assent in late 2024. The Act establishes the framework for a national universal pharmacare program, beginning with coverage for diabetes medications and contraceptives.
CDA-AMC has a specific role under the Act. It will develop and maintain a national formulary, the list of drugs covered under the pharmacare program. It will also provide recommendations on bulk purchasing strategies to reduce drug costs and advise on the appropriate use of covered medications.
For pharmacies, this means CDA-AMC's decisions will have a more direct impact on day-to-day operations. Which drugs are covered, how they are covered, and what guidelines accompany their use will all flow through the agency's recommendations.
What This Means for Pharmacists
Pharmacists should pay attention to CDA-AMC for several reasons.
Formulary changes. As CDA-AMC builds the national formulary, there may be shifts in which drugs are preferred or covered. Pharmacies will need to stay current with these changes to advise patients accurately.
Prescribing guidelines. CDA-AMC's mandate to improve medication use could result in new clinical guidelines or best practice recommendations. Pharmacists, especially those with expanded prescribing authority, will need to align their practice with these guidelines.
Drug reviews. The HTA process continues under CDA-AMC. New drug submissions, reassessments of existing drugs, and therapeutic reviews will still be published. Pharmacists who follow these reviews will have an advantage in understanding why certain drugs are or are not covered by public plans.
Pan-Canadian coordination. One of the long-standing frustrations in Canadian pharmacy has been the patchwork of provincial formularies. A patient covered in Ontario might not have the same coverage after moving to Alberta. CDA-AMC's national formulary work could gradually reduce these inconsistencies.
Looking Ahead
The transition from CADTH to CDA-AMC reflects a shift in how Canada thinks about pharmaceutical policy. Drug evaluation is no longer the end goal. The focus is expanding to include how drugs are used, who has access to them, and how the system can deliver better outcomes at a sustainable cost.
For pharmacies and pharmacy professionals, staying informed about CDA-AMC's work will be increasingly important. The agency's recommendations will shape formularies, influence prescribing patterns, and ultimately affect which medications patients can access through public programs.
CDA-AMC publishes its reviews, guidelines, and policy documents at cadth.ca, which now redirects to the agency's updated web presence. Pharmacists and pharmacy owners should consider adding it to their regular reading list.