Mr. Speaker, there are more than two million diabetics in Canada. Ten per cent are insulin dependent.
Since the introduction of synthetic insulin in Canada animal based products have been rapidly phased out, but not everyone tolerates the new synthetic insulin. I have heard from two very concerned endocrinologists and recently met with three parents carrying photos of their deceased children.
Katherine Ferguson of Vancouver described the untimely death of her son Christopher who died at age 17, three years after switching to synthetic insulin. He suffered from distress signals such as blackouts, comas, seizures and no warning signs for rapid onset low blood sugar.
Health Canada has over 460 reports of adverse reactions to synthetic insulin. There used to be more than 27 insulin based products to match with difficult patients. Now there are only four. Health Canada needs to do more to alert doctors and patients to adverse reactions and to ensure that animal based insulin alternatives are readily available to those who need them.