On September 18, 2025, the Macdonald-Laurier Institute hosted a private roundtable on Rare Disease Policy in Canada at the Rideau Club in Ottawa. The discussion convened academic and policy experts to examine the challenges and opportunities in addressing rare diseases.
Moderated by Peter Copeland, Deputy Director of Domestic Policy at MLI, the roundtable featuring MLI Senior Fellows John Adams and Dr. Nigel Rawson, explored the systemic gaps in research, treatment development, and patient access.
The discussion covered how Canada’s life sciences sector could lead in combating rare diseases, improving healthcare outcomes, and reducing economic burdens if a bold and coordinated policy reform were implemented.
Adams and Rawson highlighted how rare diseases serve as a lens through which broader healthcare and life sciences challenges can be understood, and underscored the importance of collaborative, forward-looking strategies to make Canada a global leader in rare disease innovation and healthcare policy.
