I would be happy to.
For example, the “men who have had sex with men” category includes men who would not consider themselves homosexual.
If a donor falls into a high-risk category it is a decision between the recipient and his or her physician as to whether a transplant is appropriate. No eligible organs are wasted or discarded.
Testing alone is not adequate to eliminate risk. Testing of potential organ donors is performed at the hospital level and uses less sensitive tests than those used for blood donors.
It is important, Mr. Chair, that I get this in, so please bear with me for another minute.
It is important to note that the Canadian Standards Association is an independent, not-for-profit association that functions as a neutral third party providing a forum for committees of experts to work on standard development. It is one of four organizations accredited by the Government of Canada to develop national standards.
The CSA is responsible for more than 3,000 standards, codes, and information products in the areas of health care, the environment, and public safety. Moreover, Canada is perceived as a regulatory leader in the field of transplantation safety. The WHO has recognized Canada's leadership in this area, and recently Australia has requested permission to use our standards in the development of their regulations.
The CTO regulations are sound. They're based on science and in line with international practices and don't need to be changed. The CSA technical committee is currently reviewing the risk factors contained in the standards to assess whether new scientific data has arisen that would point to a need to adjust the risk factors.
The Minister of Health will report on the results of the review when the work is complete, in about three months' time.
This motion is not necessary. It contains false and misleading information, and the committee should focus on the work that is before it.