Patent Act

Marginal note:Order re excessive prices

• 83 (1) If the Board finds that a rights holder for an invention pertaining to a medicine is selling the medicine in any market in Canada at a price that, in the Board’s opinion, is excessive, the Board may, by order, direct the rights holder to cause the maximum price at which the rights holder sells the medicine in that market to be reduced to the level that the Board considers not to be excessive and that is specified in the order.

• Marginal note:Order re excessive prices

  (2) Subject to subsection (4), if the Board finds that a rights holder for an invention pertaining to a medicine has, while a rights holder, sold the medicine in any market in Canada at a price that, in the Board’s opinion, was excessive, the Board may, by order, direct the rights holder to do any one or more of the following things that will, in the Board’s opinion, offset the amount of the excess revenues estimated by it to have been derived by the rights holder from the sale of the medicine at an excessive price:

  • (a) reduce the price at which the rights holder sells the medicine in any market in Canada, to the extent and for the period that are specified in the order;

  • (b) to the extent and for the period that are specified in the order, reduce the price at which the rights holder sells, in any market in Canada, any other medicine to which a patented invention, or invention protected by a certificate of supplementary protection, of the rights holder pertains;

  • (c) pay to Her Majesty in right of Canada an amount that is specified in the order.

• Marginal note:Order re excessive prices

  (3) Subject to subsection (4), if the Board finds that a former rights holder for an invention pertaining to a medicine had, while a rights holder, sold the medicine in any market in Canada at a price that, in the Board’s opinion, was excessive, the Board may, by order, direct the former rights holder to do any one or more of the following things that will, in the Board’s opinion, offset the amount of the excess revenues estimated by it to have been derived by the former rights holder from the sale of the medicine at an excessive price:

  • (a) to the extent and for the period that are specified in the order, reduce the price at which the former rights holder sells, in any market in Canada, a medicine to which a patented invention, or invention protected by a certificate of supplementary protection, of the former rights holder pertains; or

  • (b) pay to Her Majesty in right of Canada an amount that is specified in the order.

• Marginal note:If policy to sell at excessive price

  (4) If the Board, having regard to the extent and duration of the sales of the medicine at an excessive price, is of the opinion that the rights holder or former rights holder has engaged in a policy of selling the medicine at an excessive price, the Board may, by order, in lieu of any order it may make under subsection (2) or (3), as the case may be, direct the rights holder or former rights holder to do any one or more of the things referred to in that subsection that will, in the Board’s opinion, offset not more than twice the amount of the excess revenues estimated by it to have been derived by the rights holder or former rights holder from the sale of the medicine at an excessive price.

• Marginal note:Excess revenues

  (5) In estimating the amount of excess revenues under subsection (2), (3) or (4), the Board shall not consider any revenues derived by a rights holder or former rights holder before December 20, 1991 or any revenues derived by a former rights holder after they ceased to be entitled to the benefit of the patent or certificate of supplementary protection, as the case may be, or to exercise any rights in relation to the patent or certificate.

• Marginal note:Right to hearing

  (6) Before the Board makes an order under this section, it shall provide the rights holder or former rights holder with a reasonable opportunity to be heard.

• Marginal note:Limitation period

  (7) No order may be made under this section in respect of a former rights holder who, more than three years before the day on which the proceedings in the matter commenced, ceased to be entitled to the benefit of the patent or certificate of supplementary protection, as the case may be, or to exercise any rights in relation to the patent or certificate.