Thank you very much, Madam Chair, and thank you all very much for coming today and expanding on this topic so that we can understand the many factors bearing on the situation we find ourselves in at the moment.
I was going to ask Dr. Lexchin about Connaught, but I think some of us are going to do some research on it and see. In fact, I think I remember that Connaught, if not government owned, was overseen by a public agency of the government at some time, in the same way, as you said, Air Canada was. I think there was a public component to it at some time.
This is something many people meeting with me have talked about. It's the concept, the idea, of looking at it. You cannot force a private company to make a drug. There's absolutely no way any government can do that. However, is there a way the government will have to belly up to the bar and look at finding a way to make sure that the absolutely necessary drugs for patient health and well-being are going to be accepted?
I just wanted to ask a couple of things. I'd like to go to Dr. Poston.
You've mentioned the U.S. Food and Drug Administration a couple of times. You mentioned that if we're looking at a global shortage, it might be worth our while—and I agree with you, actually—to start building blocks of people who can come and find solutions, either proactively or otherwise. The federal government and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration working together is a good idea.
Can you tell me, or can you flesh out for me, what exactly the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does to ensure that a shortage doesn't come and hit them between the eyes? How do they try to be proactive and prevent this from going on? I know that they take a very proactive role and I know that President Obama has actually pushed them to do even more. Can you just tell me what they do?