Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is at the forefront of a significant endeavor to ensure taxpayers get the most value for the money spent on medication that is yet to be fully approved and delivered. In a national shortage of children's pain medication two years ago, the province took a bold step by spending million upfront to import five million bottles from Turkey-based Atabay Pharmaceuticals. However, Health Canada's approval process has been a stumbling block, with only 1.5 million bottles or million worth of product being approved so far, leaving a credit of million.

Premier's Perspective on the Hold-up

Smith emphasized in a year-end interview that the holdup lies with Health Canada. "We're waiting for Health Canada to work with AHS to identify the products, get the formulations, approve it, so that we're able to execute on it. Those things take time," she said. The premier also explained that the province had to pay the million upfront as they were in a desperate situation when parents were seeking relief for their children during the respiratory virus season. But now, with the supply chains restored, only a portion of the ordered products was needed, resulting in a credit.

Details of the Medication Deal

The province's -million prepayment went to Edmonton-based medical supplier MHCare. However, many questions remain unanswered, such as what specific products they are seeking and when they might arrive. The costs of shipping, waste disposal, and other administration tied to the deal were initially estimated to be an extra million, but these figures are yet to be finalized. Pharmacists had to take extra precautions as they had to keep some of the medicine behind the counter to ensure customers were aware of the comparatively lower dosage. Hospital neonatal units even stopped using it due to safety concerns.

Ethics and Controversies Surrounding the Deal

The purchase has not been without its share of controversies. It sparked questions about whether the province's relaxed ethics rules meant elected officials could be influenced by financial interests. Multiple UCP cabinet ministers have admitted to accepting free tickets from MHCare to Edmonton Oilers hockey games during the Stanley Cup playoffs. But they have maintained that they followed conflict-of-interest rules and denied any claims of improper behavior. Health Minister Adriana LaGrange has assured that AHS is working to identify imported adult medications that can be used, is in negotiations with Atabay, and is striving to get approval from Health Canada. "Once those processes have been gone through, I will be happy to share exactly what those medications are," she said. "My goal has always been to get products that we can use and get maximum value out of what's remaining on the books there, and that's what's happening."This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 6, 2024. Lisa Johnson, The Canadian Press.