Health Committee on June 7th, 2021

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

What are these regulatory relaxations that make it attractive to conduct clinical trials here in Canada? That is my question.

[Dr. Stephen Lucas]

Mr. Chair, I'll note a number of areas. These changes allowed for multiple-site clinical trials, shortened review periods and the use of multiple investigators at these sites. They were really intended to enable, as the member noted, the attraction of clinical trials, of which we have over 100 now, which are associated with COVID vaccines and therapies.

On May 25, we also launched a consultation on clinical trials modernization to look at updating the regulatory framework across all product lines. This is building on some of the experience with the interim order, which was renewed in May.

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Are you planning to extend this regulatory flexibility? Recently, several researchers, companies, patient organizations and others came to the committee to warn against the implementation of the new Patented Medicine Prices Review Board guidelines. They said the guidelines would make Canada and the provinces much less attractive for clinical trials.

Have you ensured that the price we pay for our medicines is not excessive? What steps have you taken to control the price of drugs related to this COVID‑19 research here in Canada?

[Dr. Stephen Lucas]

Mr. Chair, the honourable member asked a few questions. I'll deal with those in turn.

On the first, as I indicated, Health Canada has renewed the interim order for clinical trials associated with COVID-19 vaccines and therapies. This allows for the ability to attract those trials—as indeed has been the case—and to rapidly approve and monitor them using a series of flexibilities. That approach is being embedded along with others to ensure a competitive, innovative environment for attracting clinical trials in the clinical trial modernization consultations that have been launched.

In 2020, we had a significant—above average—number of new drug submissions and over 100 COVID-related clinical trial applications. The government did promulgate the regulations pertaining the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board in August 2019. The coming into force of those is currently slated for the beginning of July.

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Are you going to postpone that deadline?

You want to put in place a reform to better control excessive prices, but you blame the provinces for not revealing the figures and negotiations related to the price of the drugs they pay. Yet you prevent us from having access to the contracts to find out what price you are paying for COVID‑19 drugs.

Isn't that a contradictory approach the government is taking?

[Dr. Stephen Lucas]

Mr. Chair, I will indicate that the coming into force of the patented medicine price regulations, currently slated for July 1, has been deferred in the past through the pandemic, and consultation on the guidelines.... The—

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

The contradictions—

[Dr. Stephen Lucas]

—specific factors—

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

The contradiction—

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

Mr. Thériault—

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

—between what you are preventing us from finding out...

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

Mr. Thériault—

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

The contradiction regarding contracts—

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

Mr. Thériault—

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

I will come back to it. You will have had a chance to think about it and give a concise answer to the question, Mr. Lucas, please.

[Dr. Stephen Lucas]

In regard to the element of the regulations pertaining to confidential rebates, that was addressed and contested in a court decision, which is currently under appeal. As a result of that court decision, that element is not going forward, but is proceeding in the courts.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ron McKinnon]

Thank you, Mr. Thériault.

We'll now go to Mr. Davies.

Mr. Davies, you have officially six minutes. I will give you another 45 seconds because Monsieur Thériault and Mr. Van Bynen went over their time. I'll make it up to the Conservatives in the next round. Thank you, all.

Mr. Davies, go ahead for six minutes and 45 seconds.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair. That's very fair of you.

Mr. Stewart, why is this federal government, which claims to be feminist and committed to expanding the middle class, using and effectively subsidizing a hotel—the Pacific Gateway Hotel in Vancouver—that is behind picket lines; has fired workers, primarily women and people of colour; is replacing long-term, family-sustaining jobs with minimum wage employees with no benefits; and is facing a gender- and race-based human rights complaint, particularly when there are other hotels in the area that could be used for quarantine?

[Iain Stewart]

When we entered into our contract with that hotel, they were not in a strike position at that time. From what you are saying, you are indicating that things have progressed.

We use the hotel facility and we also employ hotel staff in the back office elements of the operation. However, the frontline work is done by infectious control specialists, which hotels do not have.

What I would say is that we'll look into the situation you're describing. However, it's not consistent with my understanding.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Mr. Stewart, can you produce that contract to this committee, please?

[Iain Stewart]

Could we produce our contract with our designated quarantine facility in British Columbia?

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Yes, please. That's with the hotel.

[Iain Stewart]

We will have a look at that, sir, and respond to your request.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Dr. Tam, on May 17—just a couple of weeks ago—the World Health Organization issued a statement to provide clarification and guidance on the issue of expiry dates of COVID-19 vaccines. It said the following:

Any vaccine that has passed its expiry date, including Covishield, should not be administered. While discarding vaccines is deeply regrettable in the context of any immunization programme, WHO recommends that these expired doses should be removed from the distribution chain and safely disposed.

Why is Canada ignoring that recommendation?

[Dr. Theresa Tam, Chief Public Health Officer, Public Health Agency of Canada]

Mr. Chair, I think this is more of a regulatory question, but certainly when I—