Finance Committee on Oct. 25th, 2006

[Massimo Pacetti, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will move quickly, as we only have three minutes.

Mr. Blouin, can you tell us how much your immunization project would cost? You said that 80% of people would need your vaccine. Thus, if we take into account that there are 30 million people in Canada, that means that 24 million people will need your vaccine. Is that the right way to calculate it? Should we multiply that number by $450, that is the cost of one vaccine, which would give a total of $10.8 billion, if I am correct?

[Christian Blouin]

No. In fact, when I was talking about 80 to 90% of the population, that percentage corresponds to the minimum required number of vaccinated people in the target group. We are talking about a cervical cancer vaccine. And so, at the outset, we have to eliminate half of the population, that is the men.

On the other hand, this vaccine also protects against genital warts and condyloma. It is therefore very likely that it would be a good idea to also give it to men.

However, in order for public immunization programs to be as effective as possible, vaccines must be administered at the time of adolescence. We can therefore talk about one or two cohorts at a time, with a catch-up period. That is in the rather technical parlance of vaccinations.

[Massimo Pacetti, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

Have you approached the Department of Health or the provincial ministries?

[Christian Blouin]

We have met with all of the public health committees in Canada, as well as with representatives of the Public Health Agency of Canada, where a committee is currently evaluating the vaccine.

[Massimo Pacetti, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

Mr. Godbout, you're asking for $380 million. What is the goal? What will be the final results? I believe that Genome Canada has a return on its money, that you reinvest in other projects.

[Dr. Martin Godbout]

Yes, that is right.

[Massimo Pacetti, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

Do you aim for a certain yield, before making an investment, or is it done by chance?

[Dr. Martin Godbout]

It is for a minimum of 10 years. We started in 2000. All my colleagues in the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industry who are here know that it takes between 10 and 12 years before you can think about seeing a return on an investment. We have had some returns on investment in some cases, not in the human health sector, but in agriculture and forestry, because there are fewer regulations involved for products.

The objective is not self-sufficiency; that is impossible.

[Massimo Pacetti, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

The $380 million—

[The Chair, Conservative, Brian Pallister]

I'm sorry, but your time is up.

You have three minutes, Mr. Wallace.

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

My first question is for our presenter from Genome. We've been across the country, and we've had three presentations now from Genome. Do all three of you work together? Are you separate groups? I don't understand why we've seen you three times.

[Dr. Martin Godbout]

Welcome to Canada. You have Genome Canada, which is the main house, I would say, and you have six other genome centres across Canada, because there are differences in culture and differences in application. You won't do fisheries in Quebec, you'll do pharmaceuticals.

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

Right, but the money, I'm worried about the money.

[Dr. Martin Godbout]

As for the money, we asked for $380 million. We will raise $450 million on top of that, and the money will be distributed to all the regions.

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

That's what I wanted to know. It does get distributed to all the regions. Okay.

[Dr. Martin Godbout]

Based on excellence.

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

Okay. I appreciate that. I just wanted to be clear.

The question I have for Monsieur Gagnon is this.

First of all, I appreciate your presentation. I appreciate it in English.

You have eight years of protection at the present time, and that's just relatively new. That regulation was reconfirmed. Can we say that?

[Gilles Gagnon]

Absolutely, last October 4.

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

It's not the same in Europe or in America. What would it be over there?

[Gilles Gagnon]

In Europe it is 10 years, and in Japan it is 10 years.

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

What is it in the United States, do you know?

[Gilles Gagnon]

Eight years. We are in line now, finally.

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

Okay, good.

My question then is this. You did have another recommendation to improve the tax credit system. I'd like you to be very clear as to what you'd like to see happen.

[Gilles Gagnon]

In fact, on the biotech sector?

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

Yes, you have here “other R and D recommendations”.