Health committee  There has been talk that they would be, but we'll accept the responsibility if it's given to us.

Health committee  It's a question you'll have to ask the government.

Health committee  We're an observer on the common drug review. The common drug review is the organization that recommends drugs to provincial formularies for provincial drug plans. As a result, we sit as an observer, but we have no direct role in the determinations.

Health committee  If the company begins to sell it in Canada, we will then look at the price it is being sold at to see whether it's excessive. We compare it to drugs in the same therapeutic class, and sometimes we then go to the international media. That is our role.

Health committee  We're higher.

Health committee  We could get those numbers for you, but we are higher. We think the reason is that there is much more competition in the United States.

Health committee  We can certainly look it up and get it to you.

Health committee  I'm sorry, I mixed up your name.

Health committee  Barbara knows the exact number.

Health committee  Dr. Parrish, we don't regulate the profits. And if we were to have any kind of a regulatory function, then for sure they would have to report to us more than they're currently reporting. We would have to have regulations that they would be obliged to report.

Health committee  Yes.

Health committee  Well, we now have an average price of the cost of each hearing, and I hope you don't ask me how much it is, because it's.... Well, I'll tell you. The average price of a hearing from start to finish, and we're not finished there, is estimated to be something like $600,000. So it's a serious undertaking.

Health committee  We hope to complete most of our hearings. We have two notices of hearings that were just issued in the past couple of weeks, and these will obviously not be completed this year, but most of the others will be completed this year. We'll have made some major advances in terms of the revision of our guidelines if we do that.

Health committee  My glasses aren't strong enough and the names are sideways.

Health committee  Well, there has to be a balance, and the balance between excessive prices and increased investment is one that some political body needs to sort out. The target of 10% was chosen. You might say that 8.8% is not far off of 10%, but it is less than 10%.