Evidence of meeting #58 for Health in the 41st Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was drugs.

A recording is available from Parliament.

dr beaudetcommon drug reviewhealth technology assessmentemerging technologiespersonalized medicine

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Barbara Sabourin  Director General, Therapeutic Products Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch, Department of Health
Alain Beaudet  President, Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Brian O'Rourke  President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health

12:55 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Joy Smith

You do.

As spoken

Libby Davies NDP Vancouver East, BC

Just to follow that up, I know we'll be hearing about electronic health records, but it seems to me that it's one good example where there can be a huge benefit, but where negatives also exist if you have multiple systems that come into play.

Under the Canada Health Act, people are meant to be able to move across the country and access health care, but if there isn't some kind of uniformity, and there are multiple jurisdictions, I'm curious to know whether or not anybody is monitoring that. Is there any work under way on that front?

As spoken

12:55 p.m.

President, Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Dr. Alain Beaudet

Well, that's what Infoway is doing, really, but the complexity of our jurisdiction in health care explains why we're not Denmark.

As spoken

Libby Davies NDP Vancouver East, BC

Why we're not what?

As spoken

October 18th, 2012 / 12:55 p.m.

President, Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Dr. Alain Beaudet

We're not Denmark. Denmark has full implementation of health records.

As spoken

Libby Davies NDP Vancouver East, BC

What's preventing us from doing that, then?

As spoken

12:55 p.m.

President, Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Dr. Alain Beaudet

I'll let you answer that one.

As spoken

12:55 p.m.

President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health

Dr. Brian O'Rourke

I wish I had an answer.

I think it speaks a lot to the way we deliver health care in this system, with 13 provinces and 6 federal programs for it. That's my personal opinion.

As spoken

12:55 p.m.

President, Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Dr. Alain Beaudet

I would agree with that.

As spoken

Libby Davies NDP Vancouver East, BC

Supposedly we do have these agreements, right? We're told that these agreements exist. I guess we'll explore this more to know what the actual obstructions are that prevent us from doing this, because it's been talked about for a very long time.

As spoken

12:55 p.m.

President, Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Dr. Alain Beaudet

But we've made—

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12:55 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Joy Smith

We've run out of time now, so—

As spoken

12:55 p.m.

President, Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Dr. Alain Beaudet

—we've made progress, in all fairness. There are some remarkable programs that exist now in more specific domains.

As spoken

12:55 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Joy Smith

Yes.

Thank you very much.

We are very excited to have you here today. This has been a wonderful conversation. Thank you for all your insightful comments.

With that, committee, thank you for all your questions.

The meeting is adjourned.

As spoken