Thank you, Madam Chair.
This committee made a report in 2004. It's called “Opening the Medicine Cabinet: First Report on Health Aspects of Prescription Drugs”. The chair was the honourable Bonnie Brown. I don't think any current members of Parliament were on that committee. I think all you people were. Mr. Poston gave testimony.
Anyway, I'd like to read something from page 6 of that report, which deals with pharmacists, and which I'd like you all to comment on. Only a small portion of this report was on the topic we're on now. There are only several pages of the report that deal with post-market surveillance.
This particular paragraph said:
...witnesses called for more fundamental changes. They argued that complete reporting of adverse drug reactions would only take place if it were made mandatory for physicians and pharmacists. They insisted that the pharmaceutical industry should have more extensive mandatory reporting requirements and be required to invest in the post-marketing and adverse reaction reporting process. They suggested the establishment of an independent agency, like the Aviation Safety Board, to investigate drug safety.
I'd like you all to comment. In other words, this report is saying the pharmacy industry should be more active than they've been. Could you all comment on that, starting with Mr. Poston, since he was present at that?