Formulary Review Pathways
Electronic Formulary Submissions to the Department of Health and Wellness
Drug submissions for Formulary consideration need to be submitted electronically through a secure file transfer site (portal). The manufacturer needs to email pharm.serv@novascotia.ca to access to the portal for the first time.
The manufacturer will be sent a link to a secure portal to submit the documents. Once a manufacturer has submitted through this process once, all subsequent submissions can be made the same way, using the same portal link.
Oncology submissions should also be directed to the Nova Scotia Cancer Care Program at caitlin.holt@nshealth.ca.
If you have any questions about the process, please contact the Department of Health and Wellness at pharm.serv@novascotia.ca.
Interchangeable Product Submissions
Pharmaceutical products are considered for interchangeability only when they are the subject of a formal submission which complies with the Nova Scotia Criteria for Interchangeability. This document includes the guidelines for interchangeability, a description of the review process, and the requirements for formal submissions with both submission forms and letter templates.
Submissions for interchangeability consideration must be sent through a secure file transfer site. To access the secure site, manufacturers should contact ns.interchangeability@medavie.bluecross.ca.
Manufacturers will be sent a link to the secure site to submit documents. After a manufacturer has submitted through the secure site once, all additional submissions can be made the same way, using the same link.
Expert Committees
Formulary Advisory Committees
Assesses the clinical and cost effectiveness of drugs that do not fall under the mandates of the National Common Drug Review (CDR) or the Pan Canadian Oncology Drug Review (pCODR), and provides formulary listing recommendations to the provincially funded drug plans in Atlantic Canada.
Conducts objective, rigorous reviews of the clinical, cost-effectiveness, and patient evidence for drugs, and also provides formulary listing recommendations to Canada’s publicly funded drug plans (except Quebec).
Assesses cancer drugs and makes recommendations to the provinces and territories to guide their drug funding decisions.
Research, Review, and Education
Provides Nova Scotia with a structure to identify, develop, implement, and evaluate educational interventions that address drug utilization issues in the province.