Special access to therapeutic products

C-265 An Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act (List of Therapeutic Products Pre-approved for Special Access)

Creates a pre-approved list of therapeutic products to speed up access for patients with serious conditions or unmet needs.

What Bill C-265 would do

The bill would create a list of therapeutic products pre-approved for special access. It would also set rules to guide the Minister of Health in authorizing the sale of new drugs for emergency treatment. The published material gives no further detail.

Official text (opens in a new tab)

Official summary

This enactment amends the Food and Drugs Act to establish a list of therapeutic products pre-approved for special access to allow streamlined access to treatment for patients with serious or life-threatening conditions or where there is an unmet need. It also provides parameters to guide the Minister of Health in issuing letters of authorization for the sale of new drugs for emergency treatment under the Food and Drug Regulations .

The government's summary, printed at the front of the bill as introduced.

Kind: Private member's bill
Sponsor: Marcus Powlowski, Member of Parliament (Thunder Bay—Rainy River)
Introduced: March 11 in the House of Commons
Last activity: June 10

Where it stands

ProposedMar 11
Being studiedsince Jun 10
Almost law
Law

In a House committee since June 10

First reading in the House done March 11

Before the House on 1 sitting day, March 11
Second reading in the House done June 10

Standing Committee on Health

Before the House on 2 sitting days, May 8 to June 10 · 2 debates here

2nd reading and referral to committee - HESA: agreed to on division, June 10
Committee in the House now

Standing Committee on Health
Report stage in the House not yet
Third reading in the House not yet
First reading in the Senate not yet
Second reading in the Senate not yet
Third reading in the Senate not yet
Royal assent not yet

Exact procedural stages

Officially: At consideration in committee in the House of Commons · Standing Committee on Health · since June 10, 2026.

House
1. First reading in the House: done, 2026-03-11
2. Second reading in the House: done, 2026-06-10
3. Committee in the House: current stage
4. Report stage in the House: not yet reached
5. Third reading in the House: not yet reached
Senate
1. First reading in the Senate: not yet reached
2. Second reading in the Senate: not yet reached
3. Third reading in the Senate: not yet reached
Royal assent
1. Royal assent: not yet reached

Debates in the House 2

Members who spoke: Liberal 6 Conservative 6 Bloc Québécois 2

Second reading 2

Food and Drugs Act

2026-05-08 · Sitting 120 · 14 statements · 12 graded
7 members spoke
- Marcus Powlowski Liberal A+ statement 1, graded A+A+ statement 2, graded A+B statement 3, graded B A– statement 4, graded A–5 statement 5
- Burton Bailey Conservative A statement 1, graded A A+ statement 2, graded A+
- Mario Simard Bloc Québécois B statement 1, graded B A statement 2, graded A
- Jacques Ramsay Liberal B– statement 1, graded B–
- Tamara Kronis Conservative 1 statement 1 A– statement 2, graded A–
- Ryan Turnbull Liberal B statement 1, graded B
- Grant Jackson Conservative A+ statement 1, graded A+
Food and Drugs Act

2026-06-10 · Sitting 133 · 9 statements · 8 graded
9 members spoke
- Tamara Kronis Conservative A+ statement 1, graded A+
- Maxime Blanchette-Joncas Bloc Québécois A statement 1, graded A
- Sonia Sidhu Liberal A+ statement 1, graded A+
- Dan Mazier Conservative A+ statement 1, graded A+
- Maggie Chi Liberal A+ statement 1, graded A+
- Helena Konanz Conservative A+ statement 1, graded A+
- Ellis Ross Conservative A+ statement 1, graded A+
- Marcus Powlowski Liberal C+ statement 1, graded C+
- Kevin Lamoureux Liberal 1 statement 1

Discussion

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Status, stages and votes from LEGISinfo. Debates are linked from the House's own record of what was before it. Grades are the site's analysis of each statement.