Evidence of meeting #17 for Health in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was funding.
A video is available from Parliament.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Dan Mazier
I think you really answered the question. There were vaccines lost, but you mentioned something about treatment. What kind of treatment?
President, Public Health Agency of Canada
As I noted earlier, the national emergency strategic stockpile ensures that we're ready against any threats, including potentially intentional threats. I'd be happy to provide you with more information. We've done this before with the committee and other committees. For sensitive information, we're happy to provide a secure, in camera briefing on the issue to make sure that you have the information to hold us accountable. I'm just not wanting to put the security of Canadians at risk by unintentionally disclosing operational details.
Conservative
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Dan Mazier
Was the loss caused by equipment failure or human error, or both?
President, Public Health Agency of Canada
At the time of the loss, an internal investigation was launched and found that there were several factors that contributed to a temperature fluctuation. Essentially, the freezers were not operating at the anticipated temperature at the time, and that's what resulted in the loss.
There were a number of compounding factors, and again, should you like a more detailed briefing, we could do that with you under the appropriate—
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Dan Mazier
Why weren't they operating at the right temperature? Were they just not monitored?
President, Public Health Agency of Canada
There is standard monitoring through freezers. Again, we are happy to provide more details in an in camera briefing, but yes, there's monitoring, both automatic and human checks, packaging, etc.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Dan Mazier
I'll get through my questions here, but you keep on talking about having an in camera session, and I think there are 20 million reasons to find out why. Canadians want to know what happened with this stockpile.
Roughly, how many Canadians could have been treated with the products that were thrown out?
President, Public Health Agency of Canada
I don't have that specific number, but I can get back to the committee on that.
Conservative
President, Public Health Agency of Canada
Their replenishment process was launched earlier this year, and we have a variety of treatments in place to respond to the particular biological threat that was associated with this treatment.
Stephen Bent Vice-President, Regulatory, Operations and Emergency Management Branch, Public Health Agency of Canada
Mr. Chair, if I could add, there is no risk to Canadians as a result of the loss at that time, and we continue to replenish the stockpile.
President, Public Health Agency of Canada
The answer is, not completely yet. To be clear, there is no threat at this time in terms of this particular loss.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Dan Mazier
Have any employees been disciplined over losing $20 million worth of products from the national stockpile?
President, Public Health Agency of Canada
We have taken corrective action. Procedures were updated and further strengthened, and we are continuing to monitor the situation carefully. No, there was not a reprimand, to specifically answer your question.
Conservative
Liberal
Sonia Sidhu Liberal Brampton South, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you to all of the officials.
I want to follow up with PHAC and my colleague's questioning.
To clarify, was it a single event?
President, Public Health Agency of Canada
In terms of the biological treatment, it was a single event.
Liberal
Sonia Sidhu Liberal Brampton South, ON
Will these losses affect the capacity of the stockpile to respond to public health events?
President, Public Health Agency of Canada
No. There is no threat at this time.