Possibly. As I say, my understanding of projecting the drug price impacts for the TPP is that at this time there are many variables at play that will determine what will happen. Some of them have to do with domestic policy and federal-provincial co-operation in this area. Some of them have to do with the sector: what drugs are being created; how prevalent they are in Canada; if they're being prescribed a lot, or if they're not being prescribed a lot; if other generics that can be substitutes are available on the market or aren't available on the market. If they aren't, they may be more expensive, and if they are, they may be less expensive.
From the conversations I have had on this with Loris and with colleagues from Health Canada, at this point in time, given all of those factors at play, it's very, very difficult to assess. I think it's important to note that cost impacts for this agreement, if it comes into force, won't be expected for many years after it comes into force. It's an extension on an existing patent, once the TPP enters into force for Canada and everybody else.
We're talking quite a few years down the road, which makes it even more difficult to predict what the environment will be at that time.