Mr. Speaker, some important aspects contained in the report of the panel of experts
on the safety of the blood system in Canada were revealed yesterday after being leaked to the press.
Several complaints and fears expressed by a number of groups were confirmed in the report. The experts noted a manifest lack of consistency in the work done by Health Canada's Bureau of Biologics, which is responsible for controlling the quality of blood products and facilities at the seventeen transfusion centres of the Canadian Red Cross.
This proves how reluctant the Minister of Health is to take the present situation seriously. The minister prefers to let the provinces take the blame for this mess and, instead of doing what she is supposed to do, has tolerated these lax procedures at the Bureau of Biologics. It is high time the minister acted responsibly and tightened up the standards and their application.
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