Anne McLellan

[Health, March 20th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, as I indicated yesterday, the whole area of post-market surveillance of drugs, the issue around adverse reactions, is a very serious and important one. Not only are we dealing with it here, but the FDA and the European Union's commission are struggling with how we encourage and receive the best information possible in relation to adverse reactions so that then we can act to protect the public.

As I mentioned yesterday, we are taking steps within the Department of Health Canada, including the creation of a new directorate and many other new procedures and the allocation of additional resources--

[Pharmaceuticals, March 19th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, let me reassure the hon. member and everyone in the House that we take very seriously our regulatory obligations in post-marketing surveillance of drugs in relation to their safety and efficacy.

Obviously the Vanessa Young situation was a terrible tragedy. My department, Health Canada, is responding to the 14 recommendations of the coroner's inquest. As Dr. Peterson who heads up the drug approval agency in my department mentioned earlier today, as of April 1 we will create a new directorate in the Department of Health to ensure that--

[Health, March 18th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, in fact as we are probably all aware, issues around the organization and delivery of health care services to residents are primarily a matter of provincial jurisdiction.

Clearly, as federal Minister of Health, I am very interested in ensuring that Canadians are provided with medically necessary services when they need them. However, in the situation just outlined by the hon. member, this is a matter that deals with the treatment of patients. Therefore, if one is to complain, that complaint should lie more appropriately with the province and with the College of Physicians and Surgeons.

[Research and Development, March 12th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the CIHR is not ignoring parliament. This government will introduce legislation. Parliament will decide the content of that legislation. At that time, if there is any inconsistency between the CIHR guidelines and the legislation, the legislation applies.

[Research and Development, March 12th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, as I have indicated, the CIHR guidelines relate to publicly funded research, research funded by federal tax dollars in this country. It has every right to issue guidelines in terms of how that money is dispensed.

I have made it very plain in this House and before the Standing Committee on Health that I will be introducing legislation in the House before May 10.

[Health, March 11th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the CIHR released those guidelines last week. They do apply to publicly funded research that is approved by the CIHR and will continue to apply to that publicly funded research until such time as federal legislation is introduced. If there are inconsistencies then those guidelines will be changed.

[Research and Development, March 11th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, this came up last week in response to the production of the CIHR guidelines. They are certainly consistent with the draft legislation that my predecessor put before the House. They are generally consistent with the work of the Standing Committee on Health in relation to this area. As I have indicated, I will be coming forward no later than May 10 with legislation in relation to this area of importance to all Canadians.

[Research and Development, March 11th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member is fully aware, when I appeared before the Standing Committee on Health two weeks ago, in response to a question asked by him I indicated that the government would be tabling legislation in relation to assisted human reproduction no later than May 10 of this year. Let me reassure the hon. member that if the guidelines produced by the CIHR last week are in any way in conflict or inconsistent with that legislation they will be changed.

[Question No.100—, March 1st, 2002]

With respect to human research, xenotransplants, the live cells, tissues and organs from animal sources, are considered therapeutic products, drugs or medical devices, and are subject to the requirements of the Food and Drugs Act and the Food and Drug Regulations or the Medical Devices Regulations.

Pursuant to these regulations, sponsors of human clinical trials involving xenotransplants would be required to submit an application to Health Canada for approval before a clinical trial may proceed. The clinical trial review and approval process conducted by Health Canada applies to all clinical trials involving xenografts, cellular, tissue or whole organ, in Canada, regardless of who the research is conducted by, for example, hospital, university or pharmaceutical company.

On March 29, 1999, Health Canada issued a notice to hospitals on the clinical use of viable animal cells, tissues or organs to treat patients, notifying hospitals that any studies involving xenotransplants could only be conducted under the auspices of an authorized clinical trial.

To date, no requests for clinical trials involving xenotransplantation have been received or approved by Health Canada.

[Health Care, February 21st, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I would think that the leader of the New Democratic Party is probably the only person in the country who would describe $21.1 billion as insufficient or irrelevant.

Let me say again that the renewal of the health care system in this country is an important one. It is one in which we play a collaborative role with the provinces and the territories, but I would hope that the hon. leader of the New Democrats is not suggesting that the long term sustainability of our health care system can be guaranteed--