Health committee  Product monographs are data driven. They are drafted by pharmaceutical companies like Purdue and others. They are reviewed and scrutinized internally before they are sent to the regulator and of course at the regulator, Health Canada included. It is a mutual agreement that the pr

Health committee  Simply stated, yes and yes. On the first suggestion, I don't know precisely how things happen here within Health Canada, but in the United States, for certain, external expertise is often sought, because it is impractical to house the requisite expertise within the building. O

Health committee  In Canada?

Health committee  It could be.

Health committee  It's possible, sure.

Health committee  May I answer the question?

Health committee  It was certainly not my intention to discount the lives that have been affected by the abuse and misuse of OxyContin. I'm a physician, okay? I just happen to run a pharmaceutical company that produces OxyContin and now markets a product intended to mitigate some of its known risk

Health committee  I can't speak to specifics regarding history here in Canada or with Health Canada and the Purdue company. I can say that there has been a dialogue, and it's ongoing, concerning abuse deterrence, abuse, as well as patient-safety-related outcomes. I myself have engaged in multiple

Health committee  When the company in the United States first became aware of the problem—what became an emerging crisis of abuse—we met with the FDA frequently to share knowledge and to discuss plans to address the condition. We did put out at the time, although it was prior to my involvement, a

Health committee  Thank you for the question. I'll take the request back with me. I'm not in a position to say yes or no at this point.

Health committee  Thank you for the question. OxyContin, since it was introduced, has brought benefit to tens of millions of patients in North America for sure and beyond.

Health committee  A brief answer to which question?

Health committee  To my knowledge, Purdue Canada has never detailed dentists or recommended their use.

Health committee  I'm not aware that dentists are big prescribers of OxyContin.

Health committee  Well, that would be inappropriate prescribing. I would agree with you.