The OLIP interns recently had the pleasure of meeting with Mr. Jeff Connell, Vice President of Corporate Affairs with the Canadian Generic Pharmaceutical Association (CGPA). The CGPA helps its members to provide high-quality, safe, and affordable generic prescription medications to Canadians. The interns learned how in representing Canada’s generic pharmaceutical manufacturers, the organization engages closely with patients, healthcare providers, and both the federal and provincial governments.
Jeff shared his own experience working at Queen’s Park prior to joining the CGPA - where he has worked for over 20 years now - offering a unique and valuable perspective on the working relationship between the provincial government and the CGPA. The interns learned about the role of generic or biosimilar medication in healthcare crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and the role of domestic production during these events. Throughout the conversation, we were versed in the possibilities of generic medicine in delivering accessible and affordable prescription medications to Canadians. Jeff provided insight into some of the international dimensions of the pharmaceutical system, and we found his insights on intellectual property law in the context of patent medicine to be particularly fascinating.
We deeply enjoyed the opportunity to learn more about the generic pharmaceutical sector, an area most of us had minimal knowledge of prior to this conversation. We would like to thank Mr. Jeff Connell for sharing his insights and extensive experience in the industry with us, as he has with many past cohorts. We are grateful to the CGPA for their continued support of OLIP and true dedication to educating us about this important sector. Our many thanks to the CGPA for being a long-standing partner of OLIP!
