What must happen to a patent for a drug submitted to the PMPRB?

A drug patent submitted to the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board (PMPRB) must expire within 20 years of submission as established by Canadian patent law. This 20-year duration is designed to provide a balance between encouraging innovation through patent protection and ensuring that drugs eventually become available to the public at a reasonable price once the patent expires.

Once the patent term lapses, the drug can be manufactured and sold by anyone, typically leading to increased market competition and lower prices. This process ensures that while pharmaceutical companies are incentivized to invest in research and development, the end goal of accessibility and affordability in medication is also met.

The other options suggest different terms or requirements that do not align with the legal framework governing drug patents in Canada. For instance, the idea that a patent must be renewed every five years is misleading, as patents are granted for a maximum term that does not require periodic renewal. The concept of an indefinite patent duration conflicts with the fundamental purpose of encouraging generic competition post-expiration, while the notion of annual reviews is not a regulatory requirement for maintaining a patent status.