Question No. 138 Hon. John McKay: With respect to Canadians with diabetes who suffer severe and life-threatening adverse reactions to synthetic insulin and are unable to obtain domestically, an alternative animal-based insulin: (a) what actions has Health Canada taken or will take to ensure that Canadians who require such medication will continue to have access to it; (b) is the government (i) investigating methods of producing the medication via public funds or public-private partnership, (ii) initiating a process seeking approval o ...[+++]f the drug for domestic production and distribution, (iii) initiating a consultation process with the manufacturers of animal insulin seeking domestic production and distribution, (iv) providing incentives to manufacturers to produce animal insulin domestically, (v) securing a guarantee from the manufacturer that the drug will be permanently available, (vi) stockpiling the medication to ensure near-term supply; (c) what has Health Canada done or what will it do to ensure that these Canadians receive financial assistance due to high costs as a result of provincial health insurance plans not covering certain medications or treatments; (d) what action has Health Canada taken or will take to ensure (i) that people who suffer negative effects from synthetic insulin are aware of and have access to proper treatment as well as expanded choice in treatment options, (ii) that medical professionals who are responsible for treating Canadians with diabetes are aware of the availability of alternative forms of medication such as beef and pork based insulin; (e) what action has Health Canada taken or will take to ascertain how many Canadians suffer adverse reactions from synthetic insulin; (f) has Health Canada investigated or will be investigating the implementation of a protocol to address this issue, if not, why have steps not been taken to address this issue; and (g) does the lack of the availability of this type of medically necessary treatme ...

(Return tabled) Question No. 135 Hon. John McKay: With respect to access and compensation for medically necessary drugs and treatments that are not covered by provincial drug programs due to the fact that they are not approved by Health Canada: (a) what action has Health Canada taken to ensure that any drugs or medication that have been approved for treatment of a specific illness in one province are then approved for treatment in the rest of the provinces; (b) what steps has Health Canada taken to ensure that those who had to independently pay for their own medically necessary medication as a r ...[+++]esult of the drug being used off label, or the result of the drug not having been approved by Health Canada for use in general or in a particular illness, or are used in an unconventional manner and are therefore not qualifying for conventional insurance regulations are then compensated for these costs, or have the treatment subsidized in some manner; (c) for Canadians suffering from rare medical conditions, what steps is Health Canada taking to ensure that (i) research in treatment for these conditions is being pursued, (ii) orphan drugs that have been developed and proven to be effective are being actively manufactured, (iii) drugs that have been developed are being actively approved by Health Canada, (iv) legislation is being introduced to guarantee the continuation of these practices; and (d) has Health Canada or the government investigated the creation of a National Drug Program or plan which would allow equal access to medications for all Canadians, regardless of the province that they reside in?

On the question of tailored medicine, which was raised by two Members, we are currently supporting a study on the potential of trying to make better use of the available efforts as part of our partnership with the African Union.

On the question of tailored medicine, which was raised by two Members, we are currently supporting a study on the potential of trying to make better use of the available efforts as part of our partnership with the African Union.

In addition, it may eventually be possible to manufacture and administer made to measure drugs, entailing great benefits, first of all in terms of the therapeutic reaction and because suffering can be reduced and, secondly, in economic terms, both while drugs are being developed (pharmacological trial protocols will be completely transformed once the profiles have been developed) and when they are administered, since patients will not be given drugs that will do them no good and might even do them harm.

Q-91 Mr. Cummins (Delta South Richmond) With reference to the antimalarial drug mefloquine administered to Canadian Forces bound for Somalia in 1992-93 and the legal framework under which it was available for use and administered: (a) was mefloquine a licensed drug when it was administered to Canadian Forces, if not what was its status, and how was it legally available; (b) were the Canadian Forces participating in the Lariam (mefloquine) Safety Monitoring Study during this period; (c) was the mefloquine administered in accordance with the Lariam Safety Monitoring Study and the Food and Drugs Act; (d) who was the " principal investiga ...[+++]tor" responsible for the Lariam Safety Monitoring Study in the Canadian Forces; (e) who was the Canadian Forces physician responsible to the " principal investigator" of the Lariam Safety Monitoring Study; (f) what was the role of Canadian Forces physician, Dr. Martin Tepper, in the Lariam Safety Monitoring Study; (g) who was responsible for the Lariam Safety Monitoring Study at the Department of Health's Health Protection Branch during this period; (h) what was the role and responsibility of the Health Protection Branch under the Lariam Safety Monitoring Study and the Food and Drugs Act and its regulations in regard to the use of mefloquine by Canadian Forces personnel; (i) when did the Health Protection Branch become aware that mefloquine was being administered to Canadian Forces personnel bound for Somalia; (j) what responsibility did the Canadian Forces have under the Lariam Safety Monitoring Study and the Food and Drugs Act prior to the licensing of mefloquine to inform the manufacturer of its use; (k) what responsibility did the Canadian Forces have under the Lariam Safety Monitoring Study and the Food and Drugs Act to the soldiers who were administered the drug; (l) did the Canadian Forces fulfil their responsibility to the manufacturer under the Lariam Safety Monitoring Study and the Food and Dru ...