Section 56 Applications

Section 56 Applications – Controlled Drugs and Substances Act

Under section 56 of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act an applicant may be an individual, a medical, scientific, indigenous or religious organization, a hospital, a university, or a provincial/territorial/municipal government.

The content of a section 56 application includes the applicant’s objectives/goals, detailed protocols, “checks and balances”, supporting research/documentation, and the source of the controlled drug or substance.

Processing times for an application under section 56 of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act will vary based on the purpose. For example interim and temporary measures, special travel needs, and issues of public safety/health may have shorter processing times than long-term specialized medical, scientific, or religious purposes.

The applicant should expect to work closely with Health Canada, and provide multiple iterations of the section 56 application.