Mr. Speaker, carrying on from where I left off, let me say that my constituents are very happy with the second block of amendments in the sense that this expands the list of eligible drugs. This is what was wanted by a coalition group in my community. Those constituents will be very pleased.
The bill contains schedule 1, the schedule of drugs, which for us is an important part of the legislation. The list reflects a number of drugs that the World Health Organization considers to be essential and which Health Canada is comfortable with in terms of safety, efficacy and high quality.
Although this original list is focused on HIV-AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, which are very significant pandemics, Health Canada expects that in the future other valuable drugs will be added. There will be a process for that. We will be constituting an advisory committee with members from industry, academia, government, NGOs and the public health field. These are the experts who will help make schedule 1 the best schedule we can maintain to help other countries.
Again, the original schedule is what we are starting out with. It lists the known therapies that we are comfortable with, because we want to send Canadian drugs that we are confident will provide the desired treatments and outcome.
We must remember that the drugs being provided under this humanitarian measure will carry with them the reputation of Canada for safe, effective, high quality medicines. This is why Health Canada will undertake a review of each generic drug that is sent out under licence. Industry Canada and Health Canada will be working together, as they have throughout this bill, to put together the best advisory committee they can. So if any stakeholders are worried that they will be prevented from having a particular drug listed, they do not need to be worried. We will have very capable experts ensuring the desired drugs.
As well, I note that to ensure we really have the very best scientists and other people involved, a measure has been included in the bill to assess all candidates for appointment to the advisory committee and to make recommendations on their eligibility and qualifications.
Not only are there individual drugs to be considered for this humanitarian effort, but we recognize the very important contribution that fixed-dose combination drugs will make in stemming these epidemics.
Fixed-dose combination drugs are becoming central in meeting the WHO's 3 by 5 initiative to see three million people receive effective therapy for HIV-AIDS by the year 2005. These are drugs where there is more than one medicine put together into a single drug so that it simplifies the ability to ensure effective delivery to patients. We are pleased that a number of these sorts of drugs are on schedule 1. Many additional combinations will be identified in the future. The mechanisms we have in place in the bill will allow for their timely consideration.
There are two drugs that we would not like added to the list. The first one, related to Motion No. 18, is moxifloxacin hydrochloride tablet, 400 mg, and intravenous solution, 400 mg/250 ml. This is one therapy among many within a broad spectrum of antibiotics. It is not used to treat HIV, TB or malaria, which we were talking about earlier. The drug does not figure on the WHO list of essential medicines. It is not clear why this would be the preferred drug in its class. Therefore, the government does not support this motion, but commits to referring the drug to the advisory committee at the earliest possible opportunity for its recommendation. With the expertise on that committee, which I have talked about, I am sure it will give us wise counsel.
The other drug we have an issue with is clarithromycin in tablet, 500 mg, tablet extended release, 500 mg, and powder for oral solution, 125 mg or 250 mg. This is one broad spectrum antibiotic among many. It is not used to treat HIV, TB or malaria. The drug also does not figure on the WHO list of essential medicines and therefore it is not clear why this would be a preferred drug in its class. Therefore, the government does not support the motion, but commits to referring the drug to the advisory committee at the earliest possible opportunity for its recommendation.
The WHO pre-qualified medicine list does not indicate that these medicines in Motion No. 14 are essential, only that the WHO has looked at the source of the medicine and found it to meet minimum standards. It is up to other regulators to determine its appropriate use.
Once we establish our advisory council under the terms that I have mentioned, it will have a very effective way of adding drugs to this list as new diseases become apparent and new drugs and drug combinations are put together that would be helpful.
This adds to making this an excellent bill for Canada to lead the way and become the first nation in the world to pass legislation that will help those nations most in need while they are in situations where they cannot afford the drugs. Of course, as their societies and economies progress then they too will be contributors. They will be producing these drugs and they too will be contributors to those less fortunate, and producing the drugs so that everyone in the world will have as much access as possible at as reasonable a price as possible.