On generic drugs, let's talk about two separate classes of drugs here, because I think it's important to talk about the biologics and the subsequent entry biologics as well.
The chemically synthesized drugs, where scientists and chemists get together and manufacture a drug, are very easy for the generic manufacturers to replicate. This goes to normal patent laws in any country. At the end of their patent life, the generics will take over. The company then moves on to other novel medicines they've developed. That's just normal business in the pharmaceutical world. There are now good systems in place here in Canada, again, for price negotiation on generics. The provinces and territories, in the public plans, have done some good co-operation to lower the prices of generics.
Subsequent entry biologics are another case. These are biologic products from plants, etc., and they're very difficult to manufacture. On the prices that we're starting to see with these subsequent entry biologics, we're not seeing significant decreases like we do with generic drugs. We're also seeing cases where we've done a number of reports to counter some of what the pharmaceutical industry might say, which is that their brand-name product is better than a generic product. We've looked at it and the Health Canada regulator looks at it, and they are equivalent. We've produced a lot of information for patients and for clinicians to demonstrate that clinical effectiveness and comparison.
The subsequent entry biologics are just new, with a number of them coming onto the market in Canada. There's a situation that I've just heard about where the manufacturer of the brand-name product is going into the hospitals and basically giving away their drug. They're charging at one cent for the injectable, so the patient starts on that subsequent entry biologic, and then patients are frightened about changing the subsequent entry biologic, again because of marketing information that it is not the same as the brand-name product. I think we have a long way to go in getting some sort of a clinical equivalency and understanding from the patients on those subsequent entry biologics.