Good morning. Thank you for being with us today.
They say that 50% of adverse drug reactions can be attributed to an ineffective or inappropriate prescription. Health Canada has noted that a number of physicians are acting outside of federal regulations.
In your opinion, what could prompt a physician to prescribe a product that has not been tested for purposes other than those for which it is normally used? What responsibilities does a physician or Health Canada have in relation to that practice? For example, opiates, which are medications prescribed for chronic pain in patients with a terminal illness, are often prescribed for acute fractures, which is an off-label use.
What is the purpose of such a practice? Who authorizes it? Given that a determination has already been made as to the uses of the medication, and that it has already been tested for such uses, physicians who do this are actually operating outside the Drug Act.