No actually. The treatment for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis is very new. Currently, thousands upon thousands of people around the world do not have access to the existing drug, bedaquiline, which is very expensive and isn't available. I work up north, in Nunavut, with indigenous populations. When I see how we are treating tuberculosis cases there, it's clear how inadequate it is. We could be doing much better.
In that sense, I would say Canada has a crucial role to play on the international stage: pushing for affordable access to adequate drugs. Canada should take that initiative in this era of globalization, with people travelling all over the planet and crossing borders. I completely agree that we need to be able to deal with these epidemics. In India, for instance, countless people have multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. It breaks your heart to see that.
I believe it is our role, as a country, to make sure drugs are available worldwide and to find a way to make that happen. Doing that requires another model. The DNDi organization is working on antibiotics right now. Access to antibiotics is a global problem. Antibiotics are used to treat tuberculosis, so we really have to find a way to ensure people have access to them.