Maintaining Quality and Safety During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic represents an increased challenge for people who have existing health considerations or who are at higher risk due to their age. As COVID-19 continues to spread, Spectrum Therapeutics is committed to the health of our customers and our employees. Spectrum Therapeutics is taking extraordinary steps—like many across the country and around the world—to flatten the curve.

Recently, the Ontario and Quebec provincial governments issued orders for all non-essential businesses to close for a period of 14 days. As a licensed producer of medical cannabis, Spectrum Therapeutics is considered an essential service and, as such, will remain open.

Spectrum Therapeutics has enhanced the safety measures in our production and fulfillment facilities since the outbreak began and will continue to monitor the situation closely, follow all directions from public health officials, adapt immediately if circumstances change, and keep you informed of any changes that impact your access to medical cannabis.

As a licensed producer, Spectrum Therapeutics is required to adhere to the strictest cleanliness guidelines to maintain our license. In addition, Spectrum Therapeutics adheres to global good manufacturing practices (GMP) that go even further to establish cleanliness standards. This includes:

• Full personal protective equipment for all production employees
• Sterilized production spaces
• Mandatory hand washing on entering the facility
• Ensuring that anyone feeling sick is prevented from entering our facilities

In addition, Spectrum Therapeutics is taking enhanced safety measures at all production facilities.

• Before entering, all employees are being screened for:   
  • General health status
  • Exposure risk (e.g., travel, live with someone who was exposed)
  • Elevated body temperature

• Employees who handle products wear gloves and surgical masks to prevent the escape of droplets into the environment or onto surfaces and wear dedicated production clothes/cleanroom coveralls that are common to pharmaceutical production facilities

• Employee breaks are staggered to help limit the number of team members congregating in common spaces
• Employees are required to adhere to physical distancing protocols in all common areas
• All manufacturing rooms in the facility are HEPA filtered and under positive pressure
• Cleaning of all rooms has been increased to include ATP swabs, which detect potential contamination by microbes or viruses
• Less access to key areas in production

    To protect our operational employees at our production facilities:

• All other employees work from home
• All visitor access to our facilities is no longer permitted

Health guidelines have been issued in most regions to reinforce good hygiene practices and encourage social distancing. These guidelines should also be followed when it comes to the consumption of medical cannabis products.

• Treat all products, whether inhaled or ingested, as if you were handling food:
  • Upon receiving any package in the mail, remove external envelopes or packaging, then wash your hands as suggested by Health Canada
  • Wash your hands thoroughly prior to handling medical cannabis and limit product contact with dirty surfaces
  • Store unused products in a place at low risk for contamination
• Keep out of reach of children and pets
• All cannabis devices and accessories, such as vapourizers, pipes, bongs, and grinders should be cleaned regularly with cleaning alcohol or soap and water according to manufacturer recommendations where available
• Do not share inhalation devices
• Consume cannabis products responsibly. With the potential for an increased burden on local healthcare resources, the “start low and go slow” approach to consumption is of even greater importance
• If you experience symptoms of respiratory illness, it is recommended that you discontinue use of any inhaled cannabis products and obtain medical advice

A virtual appointment with a healthcare professional is a safe and convenient way to become a new customer or renew your registration with Spectrum Therapeutics. You can book an appointment—conducted through a secure video conference from the comfort of your own home—to speak with a healthcare professional who specializes in medical cannabis.

Spectrum Therapeutics is working hard to ensure that fulfillment of product orders is not delayed. This includes working with our partners in shipping to ensure that you can count on your order arriving as expected. Canada Post and Purolator have recently communicated that, due to a significant increase in packages from a number of their customers, their delivery times may be extended. You will still be able to track your package once it is shipped.

Customer Care remains open and is available to help. Please call if you have any concerns or need assistance.