Evidence of meeting #8 for Science and Research in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was amr.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Aslam Rana Liberal Hamilton Centre, ON
Thank you.
Are there any obstacles you're facing in the research here in Canada?
Professor, University of Guelph and Director, Centre for Public Health and Zoonoses, As an Individual
Well, everything comes back to money, but it's true: Funding is a challenge because funding drives action. That's one.
We have a very collaborative system in Canada. We have people who work very well together and get along. We have a lot of opportunity there. We need to figure out ways to support that.
We need to figure out ways to get better access to comparable data that may be siloed or just not accessible.
We need to foster international work.
We need to be able to get data that we can use to answer questions that can have action. There was a good example the other day about beef cattle and antimicrobials. We use that a lot more than they do in the U.S. Why? We need the data to say why, because then maybe we could have an impact there. There are some reasons why it might be justified, but probably we're using more. If we have better information.... We have the people to act, but we need the information to be able to act.
Liberal
Aslam Rana Liberal Hamilton Centre, ON
Thank you very much.
Do you think private and public partnership can play a vital role in research?
Professor, University of Guelph and Director, Centre for Public Health and Zoonoses, As an Individual
Potentially it could, but I think the problem with AMR is that the public side is a harder draw because there's not as much of a long-term economic driver.
Use antimicrobials less, keep people healthy and keep animals healthy: That's not as appealing from many public sides. There are vaccines and some innovations in health care, obviously, but that's a bit of a barrier, because we don't have as much of a broad tie-in to industry and economic input.
Liberal
Aslam Rana Liberal Hamilton Centre, ON
I have the same question for you, Jenna.
Do you face any obstacles in research here in Canada?
Antimicrobial Stewardship Pharmacotherapy Specialist, As an Individual
Thank you.
I'm not as involved in the research sector as some of the other panellists who have spoken.
I would say that in terms of antimicrobial stewardship research, which would be the primary area where I have experience, I think there is a lot of small, pilot-type research ongoing coming out of individual hospitals, jurisdictions or provinces. Certainly, there is not the infrastructure in place to be able to scale those up, when we have success in one area or one institution, to realize some of those benefits across the board.
I think more coordination and help with knowledge mobilization once research is done would be very beneficial in the stewardship sphere.
Liberal
Aslam Rana Liberal Hamilton Centre, ON
When we compare the Canadian network of hospitals to international examples of antimicrobial stewardship programs, where does Canada's performance stand out?
Antimicrobial Stewardship Pharmacotherapy Specialist, As an Individual
Canada has been an early leader in antimicrobial stewardship in the hospital sector early on. I think we need to continue with some of that momentum.
In all of our Canadian hospitals, in order for them to be accredited, there is a required organizational practice for them to have an antimicrobial stewardship program that is monitoring data with respect to antibiotic use and resistance and actively working to optimize these things. That type of high-level national regulation has really allowed for funding in hospitals for stewardship initiatives and efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance.
To some degree, I think we have done well in the hospital sector. We need to invest more and work more toward expanding that to things like long-term care and community or primary care practices.
Liberal
Aslam Rana Liberal Hamilton Centre, ON
Dr. Weese, how would you describe the evolution of global research in antimicrobial resistance over the past decade?
Professor, University of Guelph and Director, Centre for Public Health and Zoonoses, As an Individual
It's broad. One of the challenges is the complexity, because it involves so many sectors. Even within the animal and human health sectors, it's really variable. We'll see some places where we've had good improvements in research and coordination, and that's sometimes at the expense of others.
I think we're probably not improving as much as resistance is increasing.
Liberal
Aslam Rana Liberal Hamilton Centre, ON
Thank you very much.
In 2018, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health published a report addressing the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance. Among its key recommendations was the need for “stable and adequate funding to support research and innovation in the area of antimicrobial resistance”.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Salma Zahid
Your time is up, MP Rana.
You can complete your question, and then maybe we can—
Liberal
Aslam Rana Liberal Hamilton Centre, ON
Which research domains in AMR are most underfunded or overlooked in Canada?
You can send us a response in writing.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Salma Zahid
The time is up for MP Rana.
If you could submit a written answer to this question, it would be great.
Now we will proceed to MP Blanchette-Joncas.
Please go ahead. You will have six minutes.
Bloc
Maxime Blanchette-Joncas Bloc Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Dr. Weese, over the past few years Québec, which once welcomed many pharmaceutical companies, saw factories and labs close, while researchers and employees were laid off. This led to a real brain drain. The results of that were painfully obvious during the COVID‑19 pandemic, when we were completely dependent on international players to procure medication and equipment.
In your opinion, how can we avoid this type of situation in the future and strengthen our scientific and industrial independence?
Professor, University of Guelph and Director, Centre for Public Health and Zoonoses, As an Individual
I'm sorry. The first part of the question didn't come through. I got the last part.
Bloc
Maxime Blanchette-Joncas Bloc Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC
Don't worry, Dr. Weese. It looks like we're having many technical problems today, due to the fact that the interpreters are off site.
In that case, I'll ask my question again, if the chair allows it.
Bloc
Maxime Blanchette-Joncas Bloc Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC
Yes, I'm used to it. I'll repeat my question.
Over the past few years Québec, which once welcomed many pharmaceutical companies, saw factories and labs close, while researchers and employees were laid off. This led to a real brain drain. The results were clear during the COVID‑19 pandemic, when we were completely dependent on international players to procure medication and equipment. Canada was the only G7 country not to produce its own COVID‑19 vaccine.
In your opinion, how can we avoid this type of situation in the future and strengthen our scientific and industrial independence?
Professor, University of Guelph and Director, Centre for Public Health and Zoonoses, As an Individual
I'd say that's largely outside of my area of expertise, but I think it also speaks to the need for national coordination. What do we need, in all sectors, and can there be synergies? If it's vaccination, can we think about vaccination across humans and animals? Are there some that are best left for other countries? What do we actually need to do in Canada to have minimum competency? What are our options and what is the safety of those options—the security of those options—for outside of the country?
As I said, that's outside of my domain, but I think it speaks to the need for a national coordinating program approach.
Bloc
Maxime Blanchette-Joncas Bloc Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC
You said it was paramount to fund research now in order to train the scientists of tomorrow. It's a recurring problem we've seen under various governments, which don't tackle the root causes of the problem but instead try to implement measures that are sometimes flawed when it's already too late.
In your opinion, should granting councils fund a greater number of researchers in the field of antimicrobial resistance?
Professor, University of Guelph and Director, Centre for Public Health and Zoonoses, As an Individual
It would be nice, but I think that internationally we're seeing less coordinated funding. The U.K. has been a very strong supporter, and funding has decreased from there. AMR is such a broad issue. We need to have international coordination, but we don't have a logical international funding body. It's in our best interest to put in as much money as we can—and disproportionately, I think, for a high-income country—for a few reasons. One is that we need to make sure we're supporting research internationally, but infectious diseases that develop overseas impact us—that's human and animal. From an animal side, if a country doesn't have food safety and security, there isn't human safety and security.
I don't think we can rely on international funding. We can rely on us coordinating with international groups with funding that we can bring, as a Canadian component, but the international community is not going to fund Canadian research.
Bloc
Maxime Blanchette-Joncas Bloc Rimouski—La Matapédia, QC
You said there would need to be better coordination at the international level. Québec took the lead four years ago by banning the use of category one antimicrobials in agriculture—
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Salma Zahid
I'm sorry for interrupting. If you can just.... There seems to be some issue.
The Clerk of the Committee Cédric Taquet
Yes, they're not translating; that's the issue. There is no technical issue. It's like the interpreter—