John is an associate in the Health Group of our Toronto office. He provides advice on compliance matters involving healthcare businesses, facilities and regulated health professionals and helps businesses work within provincial college regulatory frameworks surrounding ownership requirements, conflicts of interest, cross-border practice, revenue-sharing arrangements and other healthcare compliance concerns. He also advises on healthcare professional engagements with industry through research, consulting and advisory board agreements.
John also has experience providing product marketing, regulation and strategic compliance advice to manufacturers, distributors and retailers of food and beverage, pharmaceuticals and medical devices, cosmetics, consumer products, hazardous or dangerous goods and other regulated products and advises clients on a wide variety of regulatory and marketing issues, including licensing, packaging and labelling, product claims and advertising, recalls, facility inspections and other product safety issues.
Prior to joining Osler, John worked as a licensed retail and hospital pharmacist in Ontario and Alberta. He then worked for the Pharmaceutical Advertising Advisory Board. He continues to be an actively licensed pharmacist in Ontario.
Areas of Expertise
Representative Work
- Fusion Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Fusion Pharmaceuticals in its acquisition by AstraZeneca
Fusion Pharmaceuticals in its acquisition by AstraZeneca
*Prior to joining Osler:
- Designed, led, advised, and managed a major recall of medical devices in Canada
- Designed and implemented a regulatory compliance audit program for a national pharmacy chain
- Led and provided strategic guidance to a major US clothing retailer launching online sales in Canada
- Successfully advocated to Health Canada regarding allegations of non-compliance regarding a national B2B distributor’s online sale of pesticides
- Advised a major BNPL company on expanding its services to a wide range of healthcare providers
Latest Insights
-
Osler Update Jun 28, 2024
Canada introduces sweeping bill to mandate tech and data interoperability in healthcare
On June 6, 2024, the federal Minister of Health introduced Bill C-72 — An Act respecting the interoperability of health information technology and...
Read more
-
Osler Update Dec 21, 2023
Animal testing ban for cosmetics to come into force on December 22, 2023
On December 22, 2023, amendments to the federal Food and Drugs Act will come into force effectively prohibiting cosmetic brands from relying on...
Read more
Media Mentions
-
Media Mentions Dec 19, 2023
Cosmetics and personal care products: regulation and compliance – Risk & Compliance
Products that make health claims for a skin condition, for example, face stricter requirements and are regulated as a drug rather than as a cosmetic.
Read more
Community Involvement
- Pro Bono Ontario Hotline, Volunteer
Speaking and Writing
Published Work
Co-author, “Life Sciences Commercialisation in Canada: Overview”, Thomson Reuters, November 2023
Co-author, “Life Sciences Regulation in Canada: Overview”, Thomson Reuters, November 2023
Author, “Pharmaceutical Advertising (Canada)”, International Comparative Law Group, 2021
Author, “Pharmaceutical Antitrust – Canada”, Lexology Getting the Deal Through, 2021
Author, “Canada”, Pharmaceutical Intellectual Property and Competition Law Review, 2021
Author, “How Canada is streamlining the food supply chain”, The Lawyer’s Daily, April 2020
Author, “Pharmaceutical Advertising (Canada)”, International Comparative Law Group, 2020
Author, “Pharmaceutical Antitrust – Canada”, Lexology Getting the Deal Through, 2020
Author, “Canada”, Pharmaceutical Intellectual Property and Competition Law Review, 2020
Credentials
Education
- University of Toronto, LL.M.
- University of Alberta, J.D.
- University of Alberta, B.Sc.Pharm.
Languages
- English
Professional Affiliations
- Canadian Bar Association
- Ontario Bar Association
- Ontario College of Pharmacists
