Health committee  We're working very diligently to determine how quickly.... We've undertaken a number of new processes. Unfortunately, I cannot give the committee an exact date today. We will be happy to follow up. We're developing a work plan. We've hired new staff. We have to see how the training goes and how quickly they can get up to speed.

Health committee  With respect to the first question, I'll turn to Barb Sabourin on the special access program. However, I'll start by answering the second question. We believe, looking at and learning from all the lessons that we have been through, that information is critical in the event of any drug shortage.

Health committee  Given we're very short on time, I'll be as brief as possible. I apologize if—

Health committee  Thank you, Madam Chair. With respect to the Auditor General, I would simply state that the audit was conducted prior to the update of new user fees. The challenge we faced when that audit was conducted was that the fees we charged were 14 years old. They were extremely out of date, and the organization was significantly underfunded.

Health committee  Thank you for the question. We've spent a lot of time today talking about the things we have done in response to this crisis, including the special access program and the expediting of reviews and approvals. They were in response to the crisis. We would like to take action to help the entire system better manage, and in fact prevent, crises as we move forward, so we will continue to push very hard for that one-stop site and will require the drug companies to post the information to that site for the benefit of all.

Health committee  First and foremost, we agree that patients need to come first. We absolutely understand and respect that, and that's why we're doing our part in this time of crisis. We are not hiding behind our role, our jurisdiction, and we have taken extraordinary measures to expedite review processes to approve drugs through the special access program.

Health committee  We are in regular contact, Madam Chair, with the FDA, and their approach is very similar to the Canadian approach. They require companies to notify them. When they are notified, they take steps similar to what we've been doing through this emergency, which is expediting review. They reach out to foreign jurisdictions; I personally wrote to the EMA, FDA, and other jurisdictions seeking alternate supply, etc., When shortages are brought to our attention, absolutely, we will continue to respond with the best interests of patients first and foremost in our mind.

Health committee  Madam Chair, as we heard at committee, in Canada HealthPRO, one of the main large bulk purchasers, is introducing that very policy in their supply contracts. We think that's a very positive development. We are aware that in other jurisdictions—again, not at the government level, but between the suppliers and purchasers—those contracts do contain those clauses, and they have been successful in helping to limit the number of drug shortages.

Health committee  The minister also recently wrote to the associations to express her concern that their members weren't using the sites for reporting and were actually posting drug shortages on their own websites. The minister has since received written commitment from all the members of the industry associations that they will now begin using those websites and, in fact, we have seen a spike in the amount of reporting to the public websites accordingly.

Health committee  Thank you, Madam Chair. Very briefly, the provinces are responsible for the delivery of health services. The federal role and the role that we play is in the approval of the drugs. Are they safe? Do they do what they say they do? Are they made with quality, so that every pill that a person takes is the same pill and has the same medication in it?

Health committee  Thank you, Madam Chair. At no time do we believe that Health Canada, through any of our policies or actions, contributed to a drug shortage. Through a matter of policy, there are always drugs in our queue waiting for approval. When we understand that a drug is medically necessary and is of priority to the health system, we can expedite the review process.

Health committee  Mr. Chair, we do not have a legislative or regulatory responsibility with respect to drug shortages. We continue to play a role when asked by provinces and jurisdictions. If I may—I know your time is limited—we have the two public websites up and running right now. There are about 200 drugs that the pharmaceutical companies have posted on those websites that the health system is dealing with and that are in limited supply, so they're making alternate purchasing arrangements, they're changing their therapeutic approaches, and they have not asked for federal intervention.

Health committee  Thank you, Madam Chair, for the member's question. The Minister of Health did become quite concerned over a year ago about the global problem of the increasing number of shortages that were being experienced worldwide, not just in Canada but as a global problem. She wrote to the various industry associations, including Rx&D; in terms of the brand names, CGPA for the generics, the biotech industry, the Canadian Medical Association, the Pharmacists Association, the distributors, the wholesalers, and others.

Health committee  Thank you, Madam Chair. First and foremost, to confirm for the member, I was not present during the previous panel, so I cannot comment directly on all of the interventions that they were able to make. However, in response to the member's question, we do feel that it would be quite a challenge for Health Canada to play that particular role, as we do not know what is going on between the purchasers, the large bulk-purchasing agents, and the various suppliers.

Health committee  Madam Chair, I am pleased to have this opportunity to update the committee on the progress that Health Canada has made in support of the ongoing national effort to manage the shortage of medically necessary drugs supplied by Sandoz Canada. I would like to begin with a brief explanation of Health Canada's role in the country's drug approval and supply system.