I will address that question, Mr. Chair.
I recently published an analysis of drug safety labelling in six countries, including Canada, the United States, some European nations, New Zealand, and Australia. What's very clear from that analysis is that, of these developed western nations, the drug label for mefloquine here in Canada is far behind. It's quite out of date. I do believe, as we discussed in the manuscript, that Canadian travellers are being put at some risk for not receiving the same up-to-date directions that travellers from other countries received.
I don't know the reasons for the delay in updating the Canadian mefloquine drug label to reflect our new knowledge of the permanent effects of these drugs and also to reflect the stronger guidance that the drug be immediately discontinued at the onset of any neuropsychiatric symptom. Most drug regulators will reluctantly concede that most drug labels are actually out of date, but I think that our experience with mefloquine should reinforce the need to pay close attention to the accuracy and completeness of the information on that label.
The fact that the Canadian mefloquine drug label is somewhat out of date might explain the Department of National Defence's continued use or support of the drug. Perhaps if the drug label was updated to reflect our current understanding, Canadian policies for use of the drug would begin to reflect those of other western nations. I would certainly recommend that Health Canada examine—independently, of course—the evidence base.