Astrazeneca Canada Inc. v. Canada (Minister of Health)

Astrazeneca Canada Inc. v. Canada (Minister of Health)
Court (s) Database
Federal Court of Appeal Decisions
Date
2005-02-09
Neutral citation
2005 FCA 58
File numbers
A-537-04
Decision Content
Date: 20050209
Docket: A-537-04
Citation: 2005 FCA 58
CORAM: NOËL J.A.
SHARLOW J.A.
MALONE J.A.
BETWEEN:
ASTRAZENECA CANADA INC.
Appellant
(Applicant)
and
THE MINISTER OF HEALTH, THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL OF CANADA and
APOTEX INC.
Respondents
(Respondents)
Heard at Ottawa, Ontario, on February 9, 2005.
Judgment delivered from the Bench at Ottawa, Ontario, on February 9, 2005.
REASONS FOR JUDGMENT OF THE COURT BY: NOËL J.A.
Date: 20050209
Docket: A-537-04
Citation: 2005 FCA 58
CORAM: NOËL J.A.
SHARLOW J.A.
MALONE J.A.
BETWEEN:
ASTRAZENECA CANADA INC.
Appellant
(Applicant)
and
THE MINISTER OF HEALTH, THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL OF CANADA and
APOTEX INC.
Respondents
(Respondents)
REASONS FOR JUDGMENT OF THE COURT
(Delivered from the Bench at Ottawa, Ontario, on February 9, 2005)
NOËL J.A.
[1] This is an appeal from a decision of Kelen J. ([2004] F.C.J. No. 1546; 2004 F.C. 1278) sitting in judicial review of a prior decision of the Minister of Health to issue a notice of compliance to Apotex Inc. for omeprazole 20 milligrams capsules.
[2] Assuming without deciding that judicial review did lie from the decision of the Minister, we are of the view that Kelen J. applied the correct standard in assessing the Minister's decision. We are also of the view that applying that standard (reasonableness), it was open to Kelen J. based on the evidence before him, to hold that the Minister had acted reasonably in issuing a NOC to Apotex for its revised formulation without requiring Apotex to file a new allegation in relation to patents '693 and '891.
[3] The appeal will be dismissed with costs to both the Minister and Apotex.
"Marc Noël"
J.A.
FEDERAL COURT OF APPEAL
NAMES OF COUNSEL AND SOLICITORS OF RECORD
DOCKET: A-537-04
AN APPEAL OF THE FEDERAL COURT OF KELEN J. DATED SEPTEMBER 20, 2004
STYLE OF CAUSE: AstraZeneca Canada Inc. v. The Minister of Health, the Attorney General of Canada and Apotex Inc.
PLACE OF HEARING: Ottawa, Ontario
DATE OF HEARING: February 9, 2005
REASONS FOR JUDGMENT OF THE COURT: Noël J.A.
Sharlow J.A.
Malone J.A.
DELIVERED FROM THE BENCH BY: Noël J.A.
APPEARANCES:
Mr. Gunars A. Gaikis
Mr. J. Sheldon Hamilton
Ms. Nancy Pei
For AstraZeneca Canada Inc.
Mr. F.B. Woyiwada
For the Minister of Health and the Attorney General of Canada
Mr. H.B. Radomski
Mr. Andrew Brodkin
For Apotex Inc.
SOLICITORS OF RECORD:
Smart and Biggar
Toronto, Ontario
For AstraZeneca Canada Inc.
Mr. John Sims, Q.C.
Deputy Attorney General of Canada
Ottawa, Ontario
For the Minister of Health and the Attorney General of Canada
Goodmans LLP
Toronto, Ontario
For Apotex Inc.