We're working very diligently to determine how quickly.... We've undertaken a number of new processes. Unfortunately, I cannot give the committee an exact date today. We will be happy to follow up.
We're developing a work plan. We've hired new staff. We have to see how the training goes and how quickly they can get up to speed. We're also collaborating with foreign jurisdictions. If another jurisdiction has already approved a drug that is now in the queue for us, we collaborate with them. We want to see how those efforts work out so we can move through and get caught up as quickly as possible.
There is one thing about generics, and it was a deliberate decision. From a public health point of view, our priority was new, innovative therapies that are very important in treating new illnesses. Now we're catching up with generics. We have every intention of getting caught up, because we understand how important they are to the health system. We would be happy to table a more detailed plan with timelines on when we can do that.
On the issue of whether we should be overseeing where there's a sole source, we are happy to do our part. We will need to work with the provinces, and the provinces will need to work with the bulk purchasers. We license numerous suppliers. They are not responsible for telling us if they're supplying; we authorize the drug, give it a DIN, and give the company a notice of compliance. It then goes into the market.
In some instances there is competition among bulk purchasers for the best possible price. They don't collaborate and share that information. There would need to be a willingness from the health system to share with the provinces and with us whom they've chosen to supply which drugs so we could determine if there are sole sources for those drugs as we move forward.
Certainly if there's a willingness among all the jurisdictions to move forward—and we have a regular call with the provinces about that—we will be happy to do our part in that process.