(Return tabled) Question No. 8 Ms. Judy Wasylycia-Leis: With respect to the government’s actions to detect, prevent and treat Lyme disease in Canada: (a) by what standard is the accuracy of Lyme disease testing conducted at the National Microbiological Laboratories evaluated; (b) when was the most recent independent evaluation of the proficiency of this testing conducted, by whom and what were the results; (c) what are the current criteria for determining whether a geographical area is deemed to be endemic for Lyme-infected ticks; (d) what is the projected schedule of field study with regard to such endemic areas; (e) with respect to ...[+++] the recommendations of the National Conference on Lyme Disease hosted by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) in March 2006, (i) have the committees to develop new guidelines on surveillance, clinical and laboratory criteria been formed and, if so, when have they met, (ii) what stakeholder groups have participated in the development of new guidelines, what form has that participation taken, and when did it occur; (f) what is the government's strategy to protect canadians from the increase in incidents of Lyme disease anticipated by PHAC; (g) what is PHAC's strategy to increase (i) physicians' and other health professionals' awareness of the symptoms of Lyme disease, (ii) the canadian public's awareness of the symptoms of Lyme disease; (h) what measures has the PHAC taken in conjunction with provincial health authorities to increase professional and public awareness; (i) what are PHAC's measurable targets for the future increase of awareness and diagnostic accuracy of Lyme disease; (j) does Health Canada recommend the screening of blood for Lyme disease or co-infections such as babesiosis, as done in the United States and, if not, why not; and (k) what research projects into lyme borelia and tick-borne co-infections, their epidemiology, their possible role in the occurence of other diseases, and their treatment are current ...

Moreover, it will support Community preparedness planning, strengthening links with and between the clinical and public health sectors, reinforcing the public health laboratory capacity for rapid diagnosis and supporting and coordinating training programmes.

The recommendations of the Naylor report include: undertaking urgently a review of the capacity and protocols of public health laboratories to respond effectively and collaboratively to the next serious infectious disease outbreak; developing immediately a laboratory information system so as to improve data sharing in a timely manner; expanding the Canadian Public Health Laboratory Network to include hospital and community based laboratories; participation of national laborator ...[+++]ies in international laboratory networks.

Four levels of laboratories form the public health laboratory system in Canada: front-line laboratories (private, local or hospital-based); provincial public health laboratories; national laboratories; and international laboratory networks.

Within information and diffusion, work concentrated on the concept and elements of the future European Union Health Information and Knowledge System, on the development of public platforms for dissemination of the EU health action (the Health Portal) and for the dissemination of the short list of Community health indicators, on the creation of a platform for dissemination of a similar short list at sub-national level; on a health broadcasting platform; and on the policy impact of public health reporting.

(6) The Council in its Conclusions of 26 November 1998 on the future framework for Community action in the field of public health(17), and in its Resolution of 8 June 1999(18), the Economic and Social Committee, in its opinion of 9 September 1998(19), the Committee of the Regions, in its Opinion of 19 November 1998(20), and the European Parliament, in its Resolution A4-0082/99 of 12 March 1999(21), welcomed the Commission communication of 15 April 1998 and supported the view that actions at Community level should be set out in one overall programme to run for a period of at least five years and comprising three general objectives, namely ...[+++] improving information for the development of public health, reacting rapidly to health threats and tackling health determinants through health promotion and disease prevention, underpinned by inter-sectoral action and the use of all appropriate Treaty instruments.