Health committee  Yes, I can, Mr. Chair. Thank you.

Health committee  Thank you very much for accommodating me and allowing me to be a part of this committee meeting today from my hospital here in Toronto. Mr. Chairman, members of the Standing Committee on Health, thank you very much for inviting me today to address the committee and respond to y

Health committee  Yes, I would like to make a few comments. I think one of the outstanding features of the expert advisory panel was its diversity of membership. You could ask Dr. Chidwick or me to comment specifically about the panel's recommendations as they relate to fatigue testing, rupture r

Health committee  Yes, I can, thank you.

Health committee  Thank you, Madame Demers. I must start by saying that you are quite incorrect in the information you have just requested of me. Those are absolutely not the facts as they exist, so let me please explain. I see patients on a very regular basis who come to me with concerns about

Health committee  Excuse me. I will finish my remarks.

Health committee  The answer is a very clear no. Patients who come to see me—

Health committee  I will now complete my answer. Patients who come to see me with a concern that is medically related, where there is a medical problem, are only offered service in the publicly funded hospital, without a penny being charged to them by my office. If a patient comes to my office

Health committee  I do not know the answer to that.

Health committee  It is not, Madame Demers. There is no consensus to suggest that routine screening by MRI is appropriate. That is not the standard of practice in Canada, and that was not the recommendation of the radiologist who sat on our expert advisory panel.

Health committee  Yes. The present standard in Canada is regular monthly self-examination, and mammograms and ultrasound as required. MRI is used as a secondary or tertiary screening if a potential problem is noted to exist.

Health committee  Thank you. Yes, through the special access program, I do apply for silicone gel-filled breast implants. I would estimate that approximately 40% to 50% are for reconstructive breast surgery for women who have undergone mastectomies or lumpectomies, and that the remaining 50% to 6

Health committee  We've just finished looking at our data in the first five years since I started using these devices in 2001. Of course, I would like and hope to have longer data as the years go by. At the present time, my re-operation rate for any indication—which would be for any patient, whe

Health committee  I can only speak for--

Health committee  I understand. I can only speak for my personal practice. I use every bit of time that's provided to me at Women's College Hospital for my reconstructive practice. Any time on top.... Thank you.