Health Committee on Feb. 13th, 2014

[Dr. Craig Landau]

That carries some more abuse liability, sir.

We are very interested, if I can take a step back and respond to your question.

[Terence Young, Conservative, Oakville, ON]

I'd like a brief answer, please, because my time's so limited.

[Dr. Craig Landau]

A brief answer to which question?

[Terence Young, Conservative, Oakville, ON]

There are 200 painkillers on the market, including ones with known safety profiles. We know the dangers, the risks, and the harm that OxyContin and oxycodone have caused. Why don't you take it off the market and call it a day, and have special access for those who are addicted to it?

[Dr. Craig Landau]

As I mentioned, OxyContin brings tremendous benefits to patients. These medicines are designed for patients. Physicians like myself require options for patients—

[Terence Young, Conservative, Oakville, ON]

Does it do anything for patients that the other painkillers on the market couldn't do?

[Dr. Craig Landau]

At the individual level, that's up to a physician to determine, because patient care needs to be determined on an individual basis, something Dr. Persaud and Dr. Kahan would agree with.

[Terence Young, Conservative, Oakville, ON]

You talked about appropriate patients. Is an 18-year-old who goes to get their wisdom teeth out an appropriate patient for OxyContin?

[Dr. Craig Landau]

No.

[Terence Young, Conservative, Oakville, ON]

Have you ever written a letter to the dentists in Canada and recommended they do not prescribe oxycodone or OxyContin for young people getting their wisdom teeth out?

[Dr. Craig Landau]

To my knowledge, Purdue Canada has never detailed dentists or recommended their use.

[Terence Young, Conservative, Oakville, ON]

But you're well aware they're using it. They're big prescribers. Have you ever written a letter saying you don't recommend this?

[Dr. Craig Landau]

I'm not aware that dentists are big prescribers of OxyContin.

[Terence Young, Conservative, Oakville, ON]

I can tell you they are. Because I know young people who have had their wisdom teeth out—two in my riding—and are now addicted to OxyContin. Their parents drive them to Burlington twice a week to get methadone, because their dentists gave it to them when they had their wisdom teeth out.

[Dr. Craig Landau]

Well, that would be inappropriate prescribing. I would agree with you.

[Terence Young, Conservative, Oakville, ON]

Have you ever told dentists, in any way, that it's inappropriate to prescribe oxycodone and OxyContin for young people getting their wisdom teeth out? If you haven't, why not?

[Dr. Craig Landau]

I'm not certain if the company has actively visited dentists to tell them not to prescribe a medication or not.

[Terence Young, Conservative, Oakville, ON]

It doesn't matter if they've been there or not. The dentists are prescribing it; you're well aware of that. You know the sales profiles of your drugs. Have you ever told them, don't do this, it's not good for our young people? Because you're creating addicts. That's negligence, in my opinion.

[The Chair, Conservative, Ben Lobb]

Mr. Landau, a brief response because we are out of time.

[Dr. Craig Landau]

As I mentioned, I'm not aware if we have or haven't visited dentists to offer that message. But it's something the company could and should consider.

[The Chair, Conservative, Ben Lobb]

Okay, thank you very much.

For our next round, we're into our five-minute rounds here. Next we have Mr. Morin and he's going to present his questions in French.

[Dany Morin, NDP, Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

My questions are addressed to Dr. Durnin-Goodman and Ms. Strang.

I liked your presentations very much. You shared an interesting perspective with us. I believe, Ms. Strang, that you are the one who mentioned that there is widespread ignorance in the population in general, and even within certain political bodies, when it comes to dependency. I am referring to prescribed medications that are considered as drugs, as well as to their consequences on the lives of those who become dependent on them. Let us hope that these people will eventually become patients who will receive the treatment they need.

Do you believe that the Conservative government's approach to people who are dependent on prescription drugs is appropriate?

In my opinion, in its fight against drugs, the Conservative government is adopting the wrong approach in blaming persons who have a substance dependency, such as a prescription drug addiction. I feel it is...

[James Lunney, Conservative, Nanaimo—Alberni, BC]

I have a point of order.

With all due respect, Mr. Morin, the witnesses here are experts in treating people. I think it's inappropriate to ask them questions that are clearly of political strategy in origin and to comment on political approaches. It's clearly inappropriate.

What we're asking here today is how they manage these people.

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

That's not a point of order.

[James Lunney, Conservative, Nanaimo—Alberni, BC]

I would think, Mr. Chair, with all due respect, that you would call on the witness to direct his questions in a manner that is appropriate to the purposes of the committee meeting.