Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you to the witnesses for coming. I just want to begin by saying I strongly believe that stem cell therapies represent a tremendous opportunity to improve or alleviate human suffering, reduce the economic burden on health care costs to Canadians, and create long-term jobs in the delivery of generic medicine. I also want to recognize that Canada really has global scientific leadership in this field, and I think we have to ensure that Canadians benefit from this discovery and have access to these therapies in a safe, fair, and timely manner.
I think we know the answers to many of these questions, but I would like your opinions. Do you think Health Canada should be asked to review its guidance for clinical trials relating to cellular therapy to ensure that Canadians will be able to access stem cell therapies in a safe and timely manner?