Mr. Chair, I am glad the minister is committed to this.
I have some concerns about CIHR managing a database of projects it funds. It would seem to me that it might be loath to report that certain trials had been abandoned when in fact this would indicate that the public money it put into that project might not have been such a good idea. I would really rather have Health Canada carry on from an initial database started by CIHR to monitor the clinical trials in progress or abandoned or completed. I feel that would put an outside source other than the funder in charge of an analysis of the material.
The second thing that the Standing Committee on Health wanted to have included was increased post-market surveillance activities in responding to and making public reports of adverse drug reactions from consumers and health professionals. We have heard a certain amount of evidence about the lack of reporting on adverse drug reactions. It had been suggested in our committee that we might try to get this kind of activity online with a simpler form for health professionals to fill out and then we might get more action.
But today in the health committee we heard from the Canadian Medical Association that only 50% of physicians, its members in Canada, are online and have the facilities to communicate with Health Canada online, or with anybody else for that matter. That of course makes this goal a bit more difficult. However, there might be other ways to accomplish it. I wonder if the minister is planning any changes to the post-market surveillance area with respect to prescription drugs.