Evidence of meeting #24 for Health in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was companies.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Dan Mazier
You're out of order. Yes, I can.
Moving back to Mr. Watson, those programs are designed to address addiction. Given that your company manufactures this drug, does Apotex have any scientific evidence showing that hydromorphone is an effective treatment for addiction?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Apotex Inc.
I'm not in a position to speak to that, Mr. Vice-Chair. I'd be happy to take any questions from the committee and respond back to your questions.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Dan Mazier
That would be great. If you could table those documents, that would be very helpful.
Dr. Somers, it is my understanding that Mark Tyndall served as deputy public health officer under the provincial B.C. government until 2018. Is that correct?
Full Professor, As an Individual
It sounds about right. To the best of my knowledge, yes.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Dan Mazier
After leaving the government, Mark Tyndall launched a vending machine company called MySafe, which dispensed opioids to drug users. What can you tell us about this vending machine company?
Full Professor, As an Individual
Well, I can confirm that I've seen the machines in action. At the time that they were being developed, at the concept stage, I suggested that there were much more effective priorities and, in fact, that taking the step of responding to people who are living in poverty.... It's important to note that these machines were installed in what are referred to as low-barrier housing developments. From prior research, one of the things that was most urgently needed among people who were socially estranged, including those in low-barrier housing, was the opportunity to be engaged in meaningful relationships and on a path to social reintegration, which, by the way, is something that harm reduction interventions are capable of initiating.
I thought it was exactly the wrong type of message to take, as we were in the first year of a declared public health emergency, in that rather than engaging alienated people interpersonally, we would instead be pouring our energies and attentions into an interface that involved a machine, but my view was fairly forcefully outvoted by people in positions of authority.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Dan Mazier
I have some follow-up questions on that as well.
According to Health Canada's website, the federal government gave this company over $3.5 million. Is this correct?
Full Professor, As an Individual
I've seen that, and an additional tranche of funds as well. I think that's a low estimate of what we've invested collectively.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Dan Mazier
Okay.
Dr. Somers, did Mark Tyndall advocate for policies like decriminalization and safe supply in his former role within the government, yes or no?
Conservative
Liberal
Maggie Chi Liberal Don Valley North, ON
I have a point of order, Chair.
I'm wondering what the relevance is, because we're just starting out on the study on pharmaceutical sovereignty, and the line of questioning hasn't been even close to the intent of the study.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Dan Mazier
I guess when we're done with all my questions, it will be very clear.
Dr. Somers, it is also my understanding that Perry Kendall served as the public health officer in the provincial B.C. government until 2018. Is this correct?
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Dan Mazier
After leaving the government, Perry Kendall co-founded a company called Fair Price Pharma, which distributed injectable heroin. Is this correct?
Liberal
Maggie Chi Liberal Don Valley North, ON
I have a point of order, Chair.
It's the study we're focused on, and to this point, I have not heard a relevant question to the intent of the study.
Full Professor, As an Individual
I'll answer. Yes, Dr. Kendall co-founded a company that was positioned to distribute heroin, diacetylmorphine.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Dan Mazier
Okay.
Is it fair to say that both former government officials advocated for policies like decriminalization and safe supply in their former roles, yes or no?
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Dan Mazier
Thank you very much. That's the end of my time.
We'll go to Ms. Chi.
Liberal
Maggie Chi Liberal Don Valley North, ON
First of all, thank you to all the witnesses who are here today as we start this very important study.
We're looking at our pharmaceutical sovereignty and all the things having to do with the security and sovereignty of our medical system. In lots of the readings and notes, we've seen that Canada relies heavily on foreign imports of APIs on a lot of the drugs.
My question is for either Jim or Jeff.
What does this dependence mean in practical terms for Canada's pharmaceutical sovereignty? Specifically, what are some of the challenges, but also some of the opportunities that you see?
President, Canadian Generic Pharmaceutical Association
I think it is true that Canada relies heavily on foreign imports of active pharmaceutical ingredients, as well as final dosage products. We commissioned a study a couple of years ago, which showed that the percentage of products made in Canada has been declining. Our solution to that is to try to make Canada as attractive a place for investment in generic and biosimilar medicines as possible. I think some of the framework policies that we've mentioned today are very important.
We're very concerned about Health Canada, which lacks resources. They're not able to review and approve medicines in any kind of predictable way. Companies that want to invest in Canada have no idea right now when their products are going to be approved. We are making a strong campaign to encourage Health Canada to get the resources necessary to have the ability to approve products so that Canada can be seen as a leader in pharmaceutical regulatory approvals.
The other thing that has happened is there's been a race to the bottom in terms of pricing, both at the hospital level and at the retail level. When you're looking to support investment—and Jeff can speak to Apotex—you need to have sustainable pricing. We are working with our partners at the provincial level through the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance to try to get sustainable pricing that would support more domestic production.
Those would be two things right off that I think we could do to improve the situation.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Apotex Inc.
What I would add is that as you build out the pharmaceutical supply chain, I think we probably don't speak enough, as an industry, about building out capability in the market. As you develop API resources in the market domestically, you also develop broader international supply chains so that you end up having sourcing hubs around the world globally. As you build that expertise, you are able to utilize that global network.
It's a complicated supply chain. You're not going to fix it overnight. However, what you can do through investment is start to build in-market resourcing, which then strengthens the supply chain, as I mentioned, globally. It's important to have those resources here domestically, the scientific staff, etc., and engineering that's required on this side of the industry.