Issue link: http://clhia.uberflip.com/i/406567
4 3. ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATIONS The CLHIA puts forward a number of recommendations for addressing the challenges of ensuring Canadians have access to the prescription drugs they need at a price they can afford and that the system is sustainable over the long-term. The recommendations are grouped into the following broad areas: A. Ensuring safety and encouraging innovation; B. Ensuring availability of cost effective prescription drugs; C. Improving reimbursement models; D. Improving collaboration with key stakeholders; and E. Ensuring access to orphan drugs. A. ENSURING SAFETY AND ENCOURAGING INNOVATION Pharmaceuticals play an important role in the health care system and in the daily lives of Canadians. They save lives, prevent the spread of disease, improve quality of life and can help control pain. It is critical that prescription drugs are safe and effective to ensure these benefits are maximized and to ensure confidence in the prescription drug system in Canada. At the same time, it is important that Canada foster an innovative environment for the development of new prescription drugs. Innovation in prescription drugs, for instance, can lead to a shift from invasive treatments with potentially serious risks to less-invasive therapies focused on prevention and health maintenance. This can help Canadians to remain healthy and independent as they age and also save costs for the entire health care system. a.1 Head-to-head Clinical Trials Clinical trials, which are the final stage of drug development, test the safety and efficacy of new drugs. This phase of development provides not only the data that is needed to assess safety and