Evidence of meeting #37 for Industry, Science and Technology in the 40th Parliament, 3rd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was camr.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Sweet
Actually, you have just eliminated your time now.
Mr. Malo, for five minutes.
Bloc
Luc Malo Bloc Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC
I'll use Mr. Lake's ten remaining seconds.
I'd like to try and summarize what was said about CAMR. It is my understanding that Canada's and other similar regimes around the world are patterned on WTO agreements, to guard against potential complaints. That explains your concerns about possible changes to CAMR.
We've learned that 85% of the medicines used to treat AIDS in Africa are exported from India. Mr. Masse also informed us that a certain number of complaints against India could be filed with the WTO. Earlier, you also told us that since the regime was first put in place, the global environment has changed.
Therefore, I'm wondering if within the context of WTO negotiations that have been ongoing for several years, issues tied to access by developing countries to cheaper medicines are broached in the same way as they have been discussed here this morning.
Chief Air Negotiator, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
Very quickly, there is an annual review of these provisions that takes place in the TRIPS committee at the WTO. There is another one coming up at the end of this month, where members will have an opportunity to discuss experiences with implementation, and so on. Canada will of course be participating in that review with other member states.
It continues to be a preoccupation in the international organizations in Geneva. There's cooperation between the WTO, the World Health Organization, and other organizations, to sponsor symposia, training sessions, and so on. I'm sure the researchers are aware of this, but there is information on the WTO website that links to the fair bit of work that's been done in that area.
Bloc
Luc Malo Bloc Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC
Do you feel that there is an awareness or realization that developing countries need access to cheaper drugs to deal with the AIDS pandemic? Do you feel that this is a genuine concern, that there is more to this than nice speeches and meetings, that this concern is shared by all parties involved in the negotiations?
Chief Air Negotiator, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
Again, quickly, I'm convinced it's an issue that is taken seriously by all members. I think it's fair to say that there is not a consensus that there's a problem in the WTO instrument itself that needs to be fixed to provide the solution. As we've heard, I think there are other impediments, other structural issues outside of the WTO system, that are perhaps more important.
Bloc
Luc Malo Bloc Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC
My final question is for Ms. Zirger from Health Canada. Unless I'm mistaken, before any new drug can be marketed in Canada, it must past product safety tests. Isn't that right?
Director, Policy Bureau, Therapeutic Products Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch, Department of Health
A product must pass Health Canada tests before it can be marketed in Canada. Currently, medicines exported under CAMR must be tested.
Bloc
Luc Malo Bloc Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC
If medicines are manufactured in Canada and destined for export, they do not need to be safety tested, because they are not intended for the domestic market.
Director, Policy Bureau, Therapeutic Products Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch, Department of Health
That is true for medicines that are not sold in Canada.
Bloc
Luc Malo Bloc Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC
If the drug is not going to be sold in this country, it doesn't need to be tested. Testing is done by the country to which the drug is being exported. Is that right?
Director, Policy Bureau, Therapeutic Products Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch, Department of Health
There's an export exemption in the Food and Drugs Act that allows drugs manufactured in Canada to be exempt from the Food and Drugs Act if they are labelled for export only and they do not contravene the laws of the country to which they are consigned.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Sweet
Thank you, Madam Zirger.
I'm sorry, Monsieur Malo, it's way over time.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Sweet
You actually consumed that proper.
Mr. McTeague, you have the fumes of the meeting, so go ahead.
Liberal
Dan McTeague Liberal Pickering—Scarborough East, ON
I'll be predicting the price tonight, so don't worry, we won't be running on fumes.
You had cited a number of countries that have so far been successful in getting drugs to Africa. I think you cited tuberculosis, antiretroviral drugs, as well as, if I'm not mistaken, malaria. Are these countries using a different process in order to address the pandemic, or is this something the committee here is not aware of?
Senior Director, Regional and Geographic Programs - Southern and Eastern Africa, Canadian International Development Agency
In terms of procurement processes, they vary from country to country.
Senior Director, Regional and Geographic Programs - Southern and Eastern Africa, Canadian International Development Agency
UNICEF, for example, provides vaccines to many countries. The Global Fund, which we've talked about before, offers procurement to a number of countries. In other countries they're building their own capacity to procure on their own using revenues from domestic tax from donors. They are doing it according to international standards. Given the fact that they're doing so with funds coming from the donor community, it's followed very closely, and of course competitiveness and international standards are very important. You have mechanisms, and I'm sorry to repeat the Global Fund again, but the Global Fund helps these countries build their capacities.
Senior Director, Regional and Geographic Programs - Southern and Eastern Africa, Canadian International Development Agency
There's a wide range of processes they can use.
Liberal
Dan McTeague Liberal Pickering—Scarborough East, ON
Just give me an idea of what the Philippines might be provided. It seems a little unusual.
Senior Director, Regional and Geographic Programs - Southern and Eastern Africa, Canadian International Development Agency
I would be unable to provide you with this information right now. If you require that information, we would have to get back to you on what processes are used in the Philippines.
Liberal
Dan McTeague Liberal Pickering—Scarborough East, ON
I'm not so much interested in the process as opposed to the actual therapeutic product they may be using, if this has been cited as an example. I can understand the European Union and others that ran vaccines through India, but I didn't know the Philippines was involved.
Thank you.