FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

NEWS RELEASE

 

 

SUBMISSIONS BY INTERESTED PARTIES

STUDY ON PRESCRIPTION DRUGS

 

 

All interested parties are invited to submit their views.

 

The Standing Committee on Health plans to hold cross-country hearings this fall for its study on prescription drugs.  It will gather evidence on the health aspects of the following issues relative to prescription drugs (patented and generic) in Canada:

 

(a)	Rising costs;
(b)	Mechanisms for reviewing and controlling prices of all prescription drugs;
(c)	Mechanisms for approving new drugs and introducing them onto the market, with respect to their therapeutic value, their side effects, their interactions with other drugs, etc., as well as a focus on clinical trials;
(d)	Monitoring of adverse effects and prescribing practices;
(e)	Marketing to and lobbying of prescribers and dispensers;
(f)	Direct-to-consumer advertising;
(g)	Consumer and health professional access to drugs, including but not limited to access to new drugs for new diseases and old drugs for old diseases (excluding commentary on provincial formularies);
(h)	Misuse, abuse and addiction within the general population; and,
(i)	International comparisons.

 

In addition to hearing witnesses in Ottawa, the Committee will hold meetings in the following cities:

 

WEST:	EAST:
Vancouver, BC (September 29)	Halifax, NS (October 27)
Edmonton, AB (September 30)	Quebec City, QC (October 28)
Saskatoon, SK (October 1)	Toronto, ON (October 29 and 30)
Winnipeg, MB (October 2)

 

Requests to appear at the hearings should be submitted by September 5, 2003.  Briefs (speaking notes) should be submitted no later than a week before the appearance of the witnesses before the Committee.  Please take note that while the Committee will try to accommodate all interested parties wanting to appear before the Committee, time constraints and other factors may obligate the Committee to allow only the submission of written briefs in certain circumstances.

 

Briefs and requests to appear should:

 

1.      Identify the individual or organization;

2.      Identify the preferred location of appearance (see list above);

3.      Identify the health aspect(s) being addressed (see list above);

4.      Provide information on the reasons for positions taken;

5.      Provide an executive summary of key points and recommendations of no more than two pages (recommended).

 

Correspondence can be sent by e-mail, fax or mail as follows:

 

E-MAIL:            heal@parl.gc.ca

 

FAX:                (613) 947-9670

 

MAIL:              José Cadorette

                        Clerk

Standing Committee on Health

                        Room 643, Wellington Building

                        House of Commons

                        180 Wellington Street

                        Ottawa, Ontario

                        K1A 0A6

 

For more information, please contact the Clerk of the Committee by e-mail at heal@parl.gc.ca or by phone at (613) 995-4108.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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