Does Health Canada require Sponsors to have a legal representative reside in Canada?

 

 

DOES HEALTH CANADA REQUIRE SPONSORS TO HAVE A LEGAL REPRESENTATIVE RESIDE IN CANADA?

A scientific or medical officer residing in Canada that represents the sponsor and who’s responsible for providing an attestation with respect to the clinical trial application or the amendment that is being filed, is required. There is no additional information available in the regulations or guidance related to the Canadian officer. Therefore, any Canadian scientific personnel that are authorized by the sponsor to submit the application on their behalf and to be the representative can be the signatory. Normally the regulatory agent or the CRO can sign the clinical trial application on behalf of the sponsor.

With respect to having Sponsors having a legal representative residing in Canada for the Registration Process, the answer is no, Health Canada does not require Canadian residence. Nonetheless, if the sponsor is not located in Canada, a Canadian importer must be determined and their Drug Establishment License (DEL) submitted or amended at least 3 months prior to the submission of the marketing authorization submission (NDS or ANDS) in Canada. This is one of the Good Manufacturing Practice requirements.

That being said, having a Canadian regulatory point of contact in Canada is an advantage for the Canadian regulatory language with Health Canada as well as for dealing rapidly with questions and being in the same time zone as the reviewing regulatory agency.


 

For questions about the Canadian Drug Review & Regulatory approval process that is not covered in this section, please go ahead and contact us directly.