Certainly, I'm pleased to do that.
We have an ongoing challenge with drug shortages, exacerbated now given the pandemic situation and the impact on global supply chains.
To that end, we have a team dedicated to working on this. They work with a network of people in the provinces and territories—industry, distributors and patient groups—to make sure we have a line of sight as far in advance as possible on shortages. We are co-operating with regulators in the United States, Australia, Europe and other places to identify where there are potential disruptions in supply chains of active pharmaceutical ingredients and other key elements in producing needed medicines and medical equipment.
In addition, steps are taken to find substitutes and to allow for the importation of other products that can help address it with an ability, through interim orders, to look at alternative labelling requirements to ensure that the needed medicine can get to Canadians.
In addition we are working with manufacturers here in Canada on moving to producing pharmaceuticals if we need to. The powers provided last week through the bill will further enable that to help manage shortages and to have domestic production if we need to, to ensure that the needs of Canadians are met.