Evidence of meeting #15 for Health in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was donor.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Chair Designate, Technical Committee on Safety of Cells, Tissues, and Organs for Transplantation and Assisted Reproduction, Canadian Standards Association
How much time are you giving me, and should I answer in French or in English? I will speak English for the benefit of the discussion between Dr. Levy and me.
NDP
Judy Wasylycia-Leis NDP Winnipeg North, MB
On a point of order, Mr. Chairperson, as long as this doesn't take away from my ability to ask some questions. We'll go a bit over time?
Liberal
Chair Designate, Technical Committee on Safety of Cells, Tissues, and Organs for Transplantation and Assisted Reproduction, Canadian Standards Association
Very briefly, the tests that are used to screen donors for the presence of infectious diseases have improved consistently over the years. We started out with tests that unfortunately would miss some infections because they were recent infections, so-called window period infections; the newer tests are better at identifying those types of recent infections. Also, the overall sensitivity of the screening tests that are used to screen blood donors, for instance, and also tissue donors are getting better and better.
We also added recently, in the realm of blood and tissue donation, the nucleic acid test, or PCR, as you referred to it. Those tests will shorten the duration of the window period and therefore decrease the risk.
I strongly disagree with the notion that we can get away from the assessment of high-risk behaviours. We apply those screening tests, which perform extremely well in the area of blood donation, and we still undergo a risk assessment of our blood donors because there are very well documented instances even today...not in Canada, fortunately, but it has been shown in the U.S. that even with the best technology available it can still happen that the blood of a donor will be taken during a period where the test does not perform as expected because it's too early in the infection or what have you.
Tests will never be perfect. They're not perfect now. They never will be. You always need to take into account the risk behaviour.
Liberal
NDP
Liberal
The Vice-Chair Liberal Lui Temelkovski
That extra five minutes, Madam Wasylycia-Leis, would give the Conservatives a question.
Liberal
The Vice-Chair Liberal Lui Temelkovski
There is no time. There is another meeting coming in at one o'clock.
NDP
Judy Wasylycia-Leis NDP Winnipeg North, MB
You've give the Conservatives the next round. We're on a new round of dialogue. It's a new panel.