Health Canada Denies Applications, Raising Concerns

Alberta's Medication Import Deal Under Scrutiny

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith claims the province is working to import additional medication from Turkey to fulfill a $70-million deal signed in 2021. However, Health Canada states it has not received any applications from the province or associated companies.

The deal involves MHCare Medical, an Edmonton-based company, facilitating the import of intravenous acetaminophen. Ms. Smith claims MHCare began the import process in November 2023 and submitted an application a year later after receiving advice from Health Canada.

This deal has come under scrutiny following allegations of government interference in health contracts at Alberta Health Services (AHS) to benefit private businesses. These allegations surfaced in a wrongful dismissal lawsuit filed by the former AHS CEO, Athana Mentzelopoulos, who claims she was dismissed after launching investigations into various AHS contracts, including the medication deal.

The RCMP, Auditor-General, and a third-party investigator are currently investigating the matter. Ms. Smith states that no current or former high-level officials from her government or AHS have been questioned by the RCMP.

In December 2022, Ms. Smith announced the government's plan to import five million bottles of acetaminophen and ibuprofen from Istanbul-based Atabay Pharmaceuticals due to a North American shortage of these pain-relief drugs. However, only 20% of the order arrived in Alberta after the shortage had subsided.

MHCare was tasked with fulfilling the contract by importing intravenous acetaminophen, as per an AHS supply agreement signed in July 2023. The Globe and Mail reported that MHCare had been holding $49.2 million of government money for over a year and was being pressured by AHS to prove it was fulfilling its contract.

Despite repeated inquiries from The Globe and Mail since November 2023, Health Canada has confirmed that it has not received any applications from Alberta, Atabay Pharmaceuticals, or MHCare to import intravenous acetaminophen or other drugs.

Health Canada spokesperson Joshua Coke emphasizes that all drugs must be approved by Health Canada before being marketed in the country. He adds that any submitted applications would be publicly listed for review.

Neither the office of Health Minister Adriana LaGrange nor legal representatives for MHCare and its CEO, Sam Mraiche, responded to requests for comment. However, lawyer Jessie Bakker previously stated that any allegations of wrongdoing against MHCare or Sam Mraiche are unwarranted and unjustified, reiterating that his clients have acted properly at all times.