Steve Anthony: True Canadian Pharmacy

p News of the pending amendment, to be introduced when the health-care reform bill makes it to the Senate floor, has alarmed some Canadian observers who fear re-importation could lead to shortage of drugs in Canada. law, only pharmaceutical companies are allowed to import prescription drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration into the United States. Consequently, Dorgan has long maintained, Americans pay higher prices for prescription drugs !–more– than anywhere else in the world. Bennett herself raised that concern in her testimony on Wednesday.
My goal over time is for us not to pay more than you, because you set prices and cause us to pay more when we’re doing all the innovation, Corker added. S. S. Drug companies import more than US $40 billion in drugs into the United States, while drug wholesalers and consumers are shut out of the global marketplace. Please don’t think that you can import cheap drugs from Canada … it will last us about 36 days, she told Corker. Dorgan will introduce an amendment to the health-care reform legislation currently before the Senate finance committee that would legalize so-called re-importation. He replied: That’s a silly way of dealing with it. Under current U. It’s the drug companies, sir, and they’re multinational — it’s nothing about the United States of America, she told him. In essence, the Canadian government and its citizens are taking advantage of our citizens by virtue of setting prices that are lower than competitive prices. One of the things that has troubled me greatly about our system is the fact that we pay more for pharmaceuticals and devices than other countries, and yet it’s not really our country so much that’s the problem, it’s the parasitic relationship that Canada and France and other countries have towards us, the Tennessee lawmaker told Carolyn Bennett. … You benefit from us, and we pay for that, and I resent that. The panel, chaired by Democratic Sen. Democratic senator Byron Dorgan from North Dakota is preparing to make a legislative push in the days to come that would legally allow Americans to buy cheaper Canadian drugs. Their debate comes as U. Senate committee. Herb Kohl and including newly minted Sen. She seemed puzzled by Corker’s remarks, reminding him that drug pricing was a global concern, not part of a plot by Canada.
Canada benefits financially from America’s role as a world leader in medical advances, Republican Senator Bob Corker charged in an exchange with a Liberal MP as she testified before a U. S. An American legislator called Canada parasitic on Wednesday for siphoning U. Al Franken, was examining how successful health-care systems keep their costs low while maintaining quality care. dollars to Canada with low prescription drug prices while his country does all the innovation.
Bennett, a family doctor and one-time minister of state for public health, was one of five people testifying before the Senate special committee on aging. Meaning that you set prices and unfortunately all the innovation, all the technological breakthroughs, just about, take place in our country. S.

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p Seasonal flu vaccinations for people older than 65 and residents of long-term care homes will take place in October, since those groups are considered to be at greater risk from that flu than from swine flu. data don’t suggest that the seasonal flu vaccine has any impact on the likelihood of getting H1N1, Dr. A similar approach in delaying seasonal flu vaccinations has been adopted by Quebec, which will hold off seasonal shots until January, !–more– as well as by Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia. The province plans to offer swine flu shots starting in November, or earlier if deemed necessary. But New Brunswick hopes to complete its seasonal vaccination program by mid-October, instead of offering the shots in November as in previous years. Theoretically, antibodies created by the immune system after exposure to bacteria or a virus can facilitate the entry of another strain of the virus or disease. Dr. Newfoundland and Labrador has recommended the seasonal flu shot be given out starting in October to anyone over the age of 65, residents of long-term care homes and adults and children with chronic heart or lung disease. Donald Low, chief microbiologist at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto. The antiviral drug Tamiflu shouldn’t be used to prevent H1N1 infection in people exposed to the virus but not sickened by it, WHO says. 8 million doses will be offered to pregnant women and children under the age of three, since there is little clinical data on the safety and effectiveness of the adjuvant in those two groups. Centers for Disease Control said Friday his agency would love to see Canadian data that appear to link getting a seasonal flu shot with catching swine flu. David Butler-Jones, Canada’s chief public health officer, said people should follow vaccination advice from their provincial and territorial medical officers of health. Other provinces and territories haven’t formally announced their flu shot plans yet. I’m not worried about the seasonal vaccine, he told reporters. He has ordered his own scientists to review the findings. Seasonal flu vaccinations for people younger than 65 — but only after the H1N1 shots have been given. 12. A wider swine flu vaccination campaign for the rest of the population starting in November, when a vaccine becomes available against the H1N1 influenza A virus, the swine flu strain that has been spreading worldwide since April. As of Thursday, there were 78 deaths in Canada among people with confirmed H1N1, up by two since Sept. About 1. There were also 15 people in hospital and three admissions to intensive-care units in that time, Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq told reporters. Provinces and territories appear to have no standard approach to flu vaccinations as they examine preliminary research suggesting people who have had seasonal flu shots might be at greater risk of catching swine flu. The research has not yet been peer-reviewed or published. Meanwhile, the CDC is recommending that vaccinations for both seasonal and H1N1 flu go ahead as quickly as possible. S. The effect has been seen for other viral vaccinations but never for influenza, said Dr. Thomas Frieden said. Butler-Jones noted that the Canadian government has purchased 600,000 more doses of H1N1 vaccine that does not include an adjuvant, a substance used to boost immune response. I think it’s a reason that it would be great to have a national policy on this because we’re now hearing messages from different provinces about different approaches to this issue with these new results that have come out, Low said Friday. Most provinces and territories have been reviewing their vaccination plans since Canadian researchers found people who had received the seasonal flu vaccine in the past were twice as likely to get the H1N1 virus. U. That is also going to confuse individuals, especially since the research finds are confusing to doctors and medical researchers as well, he said. S. The head of the U. Other provinces, including British Columbia, are also considering it.

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p I think it may result in some possible confusion around the roles of the organizations and around the relationship we might have, and it may possibly affect the revenue raising across the country, said Joyce Gordon, the president and CEO of the Parkinson Society of Canada. Fox’s fundraising announcement has drawn criticism from Parkinson Society Canada, representing some 100,000 Canadians with the ailment. Parkinson’s destroys dopamine in the !–more– brain, a chemical that controls motor functions. The groups share a common goal of finding a cure for Parkinson’s. We come to work every day ready, and strategic and offering solutions to stubborn problems. Michael J. We know cures aren’t going to fall from the sky, Fox, 48, told a news conference. Fox was in Toronto on Thursday to announce his Parkinson’s research foundation is now a tax-exempt charity in Canada. The society fears competition could cut deeply into the group’s $10-million annual funding needs. Edmonton-born actor and philanthropist Michael J. It’s hoped that Fox’s foundation will complement what is already being done in Canada, but the fear is that it could impact programs and services in this country, which has few neurologists specializing in the disease, added her husband, Bruce Ireland.
As of the start of 2009, all donations to the foundation from Canadian residents are tax deductible. It generally strikes people much older than Fox. Boxer Muhammad Ali also has the disease. The announcement was made in association with the McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Toronto Western Hospital, both part of Toronto’s University Health Network, institutes that Fox praised for doing cutting-edge research.
Fox added that his foundation is not meant to compete with other organizations that support Parkinson’s patients and address their quality of life issues, but rather to add funding and awareness for the disease, since a rising tide raises all boats. After starting his acting career in British Columbia, he rose to fame in the 1980s sitcom
movie trilogy. Fox agreed, telling reporters: The only thing that we’re in competition with is whatever’s causing these cells to die. Until then, people with the disease will need support, which is the role of the society, she said. The actor was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 1991 at the age of 30.
As somebody with Parkinson’s, I am very concerned about the financial aspects and the money staying in Canada, said Karen Ireland of Oakville, Ont. Fox said it’s meaningful to him that the foundation is now an officially registered charity in his home country. Fox said it’s meaningful to him that his foundation is now an officially registered charity in his home country. The foundation’s goal is to speed up Parkinson’s research, with the aim of finding a cure in Fox’s lifetime.

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A patchwork system of coverage for cancer drugs across the country means patients are being denied equal access to life-saving treatments, says a report by the Canadian Cancer Society.
The report, released Monday, says patients in some provinces will have cancer drugs covered under comprehensive insurance plans, while those in other jurisdictions must pay some or all of the cost from their own pockets.
And with most newer cancer drugs carrying !–more– price tags that can run into thousands of dollars, the burden of paying for life-saving treatments can mean financial disaster for some Canadians, the society says.
It is increasingly becoming the fact that your ability to get the drugs you need is dependent upon where you live and how much money you have, said Dan Demers, director of national public issues for the Canadian Cancer Society.
In our minds, that’s not universal health care.
The society is calling on Ottawa to take the lead in developing a catastrophic drug program, in consultation with the provinces and territories, the insurance industry and patient groups.

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Canada will have a pandemic vaccine by early next month, and could speed up delivery to Canadians if the swine-flu virus turns more severe in the fall, the country’s chief public-health officer says.
David Butler-Jones’s comments run contrary to the federal government’s insistence that Canadians should not expect to be immunized until mid-November, and follow a rash of criticism that Canada is lagging behind other countries in vaccine delivery.
!–more– The Canadian Medical Association Journal took a swipe at Ottawa this week, accusing it of delaying the rollout of the H1N1 vaccine. The governments of Australia, the United States and several European countries are planning to immunize their citizens with a vaccine starting in October.
But Health Canada’s decision to fortify vaccine with adjuvants #8211; chemical boosters that can increase production #8211; will mire the vaccine in a time-consuming regulatory process, the CMAJ said in an editorial.

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Canada.com:
Canadians’ upper lips are among the stiffest in the world when it comes to enduring minor health woes, according to a new global study.
Comparing more than 25,000 consumers in 50 markets, researchers found Canadians were twice as likely to say they never take over-the-counter drugs — 10% versus 5% worldwide — while fully two-thirds of us (66%) claim to tough out our ailments, waiting to see if they improve naturally before resorting !–more– to medication.
Analysts for market research firm Nielsen, which conducted the Global Online Consumer Survey, described us as minimalists when it comes to self-medication, reporting that Canadians seem to have a higher tolerance for ailments than the rest of the world.
The recession has only made us more stalwart. One in four Canadians cite the economy for anticipated changes in drug use, with 26% of that group expecting to use OTC medications less frequently, 13% intending to take less than the recommended dosages, 10% planning to purchase in smaller quantities, and 4% saying they’ll cut out non-prescription meds altogether.

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p S. So far, the priority groups include pregnant women, health-care workers, people living in northern and remote communities and people under age 65 with chronic health conditions, King said.
In Ontario, the chief medical officer of health, Dr. Elsewhere on Thursday, Dr. Canada could start rolling out H1N1 vaccine earlier than November if needed. S. My kids will get the flu vaccine when it becomes available, and I would recommend that all !–more– school children get vaccinated. And we need to be prepared for potentially less than normal flu activity, about the same or possibly somewhat worse, King told a news conference. The Public Health Agency of Canada has said that a vaccine against the H1N1 would be ready by mid-November. urges
Like other Canadian and international public health officials, King recommended basic measures to curb the spread of flu such as staying home when sick, covering coughs and sneezes, and frequent handwashing. And so if we do see a more serious outbreak or if we see the flu come heavily earlier than we expect then we can potentially move that date up. anticipates H1N1 vaccines will be available in mid-October. In terms of what we’ll see in the fall, I don’t have a crystal ball and no one else does. Federal public health officials are waiting for the results of clinical trials to be confident before moving forward to immunize people. David Butler-Jones said in an interview with CBC Newsworld. We feel that we will be certain of that by mid-November, but it could happen sooner, and that’s always been the case, Butler-Jones said. We will have vaccine in place. In early October, we’ll start having vaccine, we’ll actually have it in vials and safety tested by the company, Dr. So we’re in line with every other country in the world. Thomas Friedman, director of the U. So far, three swine flu vaccine manufacturers worldwide have reported that a single dose seems to offer enough protection against the virus based on the early results of human trials. Vaccinate school children, U. An editorial in the Canadian Medical Association Journal last week also accused the federal government of delaying rollout of the H1N1 vaccine because of time-consuming regulations for an adjuvant in the vaccine that boost immune response and increase production. in getting the vaccine early enough for people at high risk. , which lacks an adjuvant, unlike the Canadian vaccine. On Wednesday, Liberal health critics charged that Canada is lagging behind the U. Arlene King, said Thursday that seasonal flu vaccine campaigns will likely start in late September and early October, followed by the pandemic flu clinics when that vaccine becomes available. Canada will have swine flu vaccine available in October, Canada’s chief public health officer said Thursday.
Children will likely need two doses of the H1N1 vaccine in the U. The CDC also recommended H1N1 vaccination for all people with underlying conditions such as asthma, diabetes, lung disease, heart disease, neuromuscular conditions and neurological conditions that increase their risk, as well as pregnant women. S. We’re going to be trying to reach out to children in large number, and parents, to get kids vaccinated because we know that so many kids can get the flu, and the vaccine is likely to be quite effective, Friedman told a news conference. And so what we’re planning for is a somewhat worse or busier than usual flu season based on what we’ve seen in the Southern Hemisphere, where flu season is winding down. S. Federal, provincial and territorial officials are deciding on who should be first in line for pandemic vaccine when limited amounts first become available. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said the U. S.

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p Water dousing, which differs from waterboarding, can include repeatedly dousing detainees with water or immersing them in cold water at intervals over a time period of up to six hours. S. Based on the research included in the Transport Canada manual, the CIA memo recommends that detainees be placed in water ranging from 5 to 15 C for up to 60 minutes at a time. The previously top-secret CIA memos were turned over to the American Civil Liberties !–more– Union as part of a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit. Newly declassified CIA documents, which were released by the U. The interrogation method should be stopped if there is evidence of hypothermia, the memo states. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Canada’s Foreign Affairs department says it’s aware of reports that Transport Canada material has been used by the CIA. An image that appears in Transport Canada’s Survival in Cold Waters: Staying Alive guide shows readers how to position themselves while waiting for rescue in cold water. interrogators to set limits on dousing detainees with cold water, according to documents released this week. A survival manual produced by Transport Canada was used by U. S. It’s very upsetting, he said. S. A CIA manual, intended for medical officers monitoring the interrogation of suspects, describes 20 methods of interrogation. It added the detainee could be allowed some time to warm up and then be placed back in the water. Though it is impossible to control how Canadian publications are used, it is incumbent on the Canadian government to express that it is very upset to see that this information was used this way, Neve said. Christine Collins, president of the Union of Canadian Transportation Employees, said it is appalling and unacceptable to learn that a Canadian government document was used to help facilitate the interrogation of the detainees. The Transport Canada publication titled Survival in Cold Waters: Staying Alive was used by CIA interrogators to set limits on dousing detainees with cold water. Materials that were meant to help ensure that people can better survive when they are immersed in cold water was in fact being used in this program to ensure that cold water could be used to inflict the maximum pain and suffering possible, said Alex Neve, head of Amnesty International Canada. The 92-page Transport Canada document, which is available online, was written for seafarers and boaters and outlines conditions that can induce hypothermia and lead to death. This is a regrettable use of a publicly available document intended to save lives, the department said in a statement to CBC News. To take this type of document, which is clearly intended to save lives, to see the information manipulated in this manner, needs to be addressed, Collins said. These standards are derived from submersion studies, and represent two-thirds of the time at which hypothermia is likely to develop in healthy individuals submerged in water, wearing light clothing, according to the CIA memo. Water dousing — which the manual said could be combined with nudity, stress positions and slaps — was ranked fifth most severe on the list of methods. He said it is disturbing to think his work may be used to cause pain. Manitoba professor Gordon Giesbrecht’s research on cold water survival helped form the CIA manual. The 2005 CIA manual refers to the Transport Canada publication Survival in Cold Waters: Staying Alive to set the limits on cold water exposure. In our opinion, a partial dousing … would therefore be safe to undertake within these parameters, the CIA memo said. The Canadian government should express its condemnation of the use of Canadian safety expertise for the interrogations, Collins said. administration, indicate the Canadian-made handbook was used to fine-tune cold-water interrogation techniques on high value prisoners being held at prisons, including the U.

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p C. for the first time, according to the B. Smaller hospitals in Ontario and Quebec continue to experience significant disruptions due to the shortage of medical isotopes, the special adviser to federal Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq said Friday. C. The first known case of the H1N1 pandemic virus likely passing from people to pigs won’t provide answers for scientists studying whether swine flu changes in dangerous ways as it jumps species. Centre !–more– for Disease Control. Healthy people with uncomplicated illness from swine flu do not need to be treated with antiviral drugs, the World Health Organization said in new guidelines issued on Friday. The West Nile virus has been found in B. Prosecutors demanded a four-year prison term Monday for a South Korean scientist disgraced in a cloning scandal that shook the international scientific community, and led to his trial on fraud and other charges.

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Canadian health authorities will not change their practice of prescribing the anti-viral drug Tamiflu to treat cases of pandemic H1N1 flu in children, despite a new study that raises questions about the drug#8217;s effectiveness.
Researchers at the University of Oxford cautioned about the broad use of anti-viral drugs to treat children 12 years of age and younger suffering from seasonal flu. They found anti-viral drugs have little or no effect !–more– on asthma flare-ups, ear infections or bacterial infections in children. Tamiflu was also linked to increased vomiting.
The authors questioned whether children would face the same risks when being treated with anti-virals for the pandemic H1N1 flu virus.
But the Public Health Agency of Canada assured parents Monday that Tamiflu has a strong safety profile, and has recommended doctors prescribe it for infection prevention and to treat cases of H1N1 in infants under one year.

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