Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Welcome to all our guests today for our continuing study of post-market surveillance.
Recently, as you probably heard, there was an announcement by the government, a consumer protection announcement. We do need a balance between protecting patients against harm and helping them to get life-saving drugs and medication as quickly as possible.
It would seem, based on the government's latest announcement, that we are going to rely more than ever on post-market surveillance, because the government appears to be fast-tracking drug approvals. Do you believe that this change is effective and will be beneficial for Canadians' health and well-being, or will this put patients and Canadians at more risk? We have heard some testimony concerned about risks. Will potentially harmful drugs, such as Vioxx, be prescribed to patients more quickly through that process? Also, they are proposing that hospitals and industry will, on a mandatory basis, report adverse drug reactions, but pharmacists or doctors will not.
I am interested in hearing your comments on the new announcement--if you think it will actually enhance the safety, health, and well-being of Canadians, or if there are concerns associated with that.
Here we are trying to strengthen, I believe, post-market surveillance and doing a very in-depth study. By the same token, I am concerned--and others have raised the issue--that we will have less rigorous standards for safety at the earlier stage of the pre-market trials.