The Canadian government, acting through Health Canada’s Common Drug Review (CDR), is keeping Canadians with rare disorders from getting the drugs they need to stay alive, according to Durhane Wong-Rieger, president of the Canadian Organization for Rare Disorders (CORD). Because each disease impacts so few individuals, the drugs needed to treat these small populations—the so-called orphan drugs—the CDR does not generally recommend for government drug plans, despite the drugs having received regulatory approval from Health Canada itself.

• Dr. Durhane Wong-Rieger, PhD, Psychologist, president of the Canadian Organization for Rare Disorders (CORD), president and CEO of the Anemia Institute of Research and Education, past president of the Canadian Hemophilia Society, past-director of Canadian Blood Services, executive member of National Blood Safety Council, consumer advocate for blood safety and alternatives.