Evidence of meeting #138 for Health in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was industry.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Stephen Ellis Conservative Cumberland—Colchester, NS
Thanks very much, Chair.
Dr. Moore Hepburn, I had a question for you. You talked about the 20 years during which you've felt comfortable with natural health products. Do you think that this legislation is going to make them less safe?
Medical Director, Child Health Policy Accelerator, Hospital for Sick Children and Associate Professor, Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto
My reference to my 20-year career was about how much has changed in terms of, primarily, the evidence base to support, or not, the use of natural health products. The regulatory infrastructure was stable for most of that time, but I would say that the broader medical community really celebrated Vanessa's Law and its inclusion of natural health products—
Conservative
Stephen Ellis Conservative Cumberland—Colchester, NS
I have to cut you off there, Dr. Moore Hepburn.
You know, this is not about Vanessa's Law. This is about changing the definition of a therapeutic product.
That being said, I have one other question. I know this is not your area of expertise, but do you know how many seniors are hospitalized every year because of prescription drugs?
Medical Director, Child Health Policy Accelerator, Hospital for Sick Children and Associate Professor, Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto
I don't know.
Conservative
Stephen Ellis Conservative Cumberland—Colchester, NS
It's 13,000.
I guess I have a little bit of a problem, as you noticed in my first round, that you're here on one issue that's decimating a $13-billion industry, and you couldn't even provide any examples of how many children have been injured by natural health products.
Liberal
Brendan Hanley Liberal Yukon, YT
I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.
Respect for our witnesses would be appreciated, please.
Conservative
Stephen Ellis Conservative Cumberland—Colchester, NS
Listen, this is not disrespectful. This is questioning testimony. Thank you very much.
Dr. Moore Hepburn, the question is about how many children. You couldn't even name a child or tell us how many cases you've dealt with. I find that disingenuous. I hate to say that to you, because our colleagues obviously believe in your esteemed nature, but please come to committee prepared when you're trying to decimate a $13-billion industry.
Liberal
Brendan Hanley Liberal Yukon, YT
The witness is being asked to give privileged, private information from a health care institution.
Conservative
Stephen Ellis Conservative Cumberland—Colchester, NS
Thanks very much, Chair.
I'll pass my remaining time over to my colleague Mr. Doherty.
November 7th, 2024 / 5:25 p.m.
Conservative
Todd Doherty Conservative Cariboo—Prince George, BC
Ms. Patel, have you at any time worked for the government as a legislative assistant for any members of Parliament or any ministers?
It's just a yes-or-no question.
Liberal
Liberal
Brendan Hanley Liberal Yukon, YT
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'm attempting to understand the Conservative mindset, and that's an exercise rather like plunging into a labyrinth of illogical thinking and dead ends. Conservatives today are lamenting the 10-month delay, but they actually objected to the ministerial decision to put nicotine replacement products, the pouches, behind the pharmacy counter as a measure to prevent access by youth, because adults having a choice to use therapeutic nicotine products was deemed to be more important. At the same time, there is a very real problem of market influence from unregulated vape products, some of which are alarmingly potent, with up to thousands of hits per vape, and easy to access.
Hopefully I can take a little time with you, Ms. Butson.
Do we have the balance right between reasonable access for adult smokers to NRTs and limiting access for youth and preventing access to unregulated, imported foreign products?
I have to ask you to be very brief because time is so limited, and I want a chance for Dr. Moore Hepburn to comment.
Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Lung Association
Really briefly, with respect to the ministerial order, which we're trying to keep protected through an amendment in this proposed bill, I think the balance is struck there. The products are not banned. They are still allowed to be accessed by people who smoke and who are seeking to use them to quit, but they're not appealing to young people and they're not easily accessed by young people.
Medical Director, Child Health Policy Accelerator, Hospital for Sick Children and Associate Professor, Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto
I would agree that we need to find a delicate balance. We need to make sure that adult smokers have access to NRT, but that it's packaged in a form and made available in places that would not be attractive or appealing to young people.
Liberal
Brendan Hanley Liberal Yukon, YT
That's great. Thanks.
Dr. Moore Hepburn, I think you said that your appreciation over time for natural health products has increased, and knowing that NHPs are well regulated means that you're more comfortable recommending them. How important do you think it is for consumer confidence? You have a lot of interactions with patients and clients who are accessing these. How important is that added level of safety, do you think, for practitioners' and consumers' confidence in natural health products?
Medical Director, Child Health Policy Accelerator, Hospital for Sick Children and Associate Professor, Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto
I want to be clear that I don't in any way wish to dismantle the industry. Many patients and families rely on these products, and they have become a part of standard medical practice in many specific instances.
I want to again state that my goal is to make sure that there is provider confidence and [Technical difficulty—Editor] children. We can recommend their use with the safety and certainty that the product they are getting is what it says it is and that adverse events will be reported when they happen.
