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The Ontario government is proposing drug regulation changes that it says will remove red tape and barriers for pharmaceutical companies, allowing some drugs to bypass the normal approval process during a shortage.

Drug shortages, including the often-used breast cancer drug tamoxifen, have been wide-spread and increasing in recent years.

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The move, the government says, would allow alternative drug products to quickly enter the market during a shortage.

However, the move is being met with resistance by some drug policy experts who say more information is needed to ensure the changes are good for consumers — and whether the changes will actually help prevent long-term drug shortages.

The changes, part of the government’s larger push to reduce red tape, would also make it easier for companies to raise or lower drug prices in other cases, depending on the market.

In a document about the proposed changes, the government says they would ensure that Ontario remains “open for business” for the pharmacy and pharmaceutical industry.