Eligible Countries
The list of countries eligible to participate in Canada's Access to Medicines Regime
includes countries that are members of the
World Trade Organization (WTO). However, 23 member
countries, including Canada, have indicated that they will not use the system to import, while a number of
other countries announced that they will use the system for emergencies only. For humanitarian reasons,
Canada expanded the list of countries eligible to participate to include least-developed and developing
countries that are not members of the WTO. As a result, the list of eligible countries is organized into
three categories based on the status of the country as a developing or least-developed country and whether
it was one of the member countries to indicate in advance that it would take advantage of the WTO decision
only in a public health emergency.
The three classifications of countries are included in Schedules 2, 3 and 4 to Canada's
Patent Act:
- Schedule 2 lists all
countries recognized as least-developed by the United
Nations. This list includes countries that are members of the WTO
as well as those that are not WTO members.
- Schedule 3 lists
developing countries that are WTO members. The countries on
this list are those that have not indicated whether they
intend to use the system to
- import patented medicines; or
- import patented medicines only in a public health emergency.
- Schedule 4 lists
- WTO members that have indicated they will use the system to import
patented medicines only in a public health emergency; and
- developing countries that are not members of the WTO but are on the
Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development's list of
countries eligible for official development assistance.
The legislation includes a provision for the Government of Canada to
add countries to the schedules. Requests for changes to the schedules
should be submitted to
For information on participating in Canada's Access to Medicines
Regime, proceed to the section on the Requirements
for Importing Countries.
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