Question Period Notes
About this information
In accordance with the Access to Information Act, the government proactively publishes the package of question period notes that were prepared by a government institution for the minister and that were in use on the last sitting day in June and December.
The question period notes may be partially or fully redacted in accordance with the legislation; for example, if the notes contain information related to national security or personal information. (Learn more about exemptions and exclusions.)
If you find a question period note of interest, you may make an access to information request in order to obtain it.
• Health Canada funds research that could inform future changes to blood donation policies. This funding supports blood operators to generate the scientific data required to support a submission to Health Canada for regulatory authorization.
• Many Canadians rely on plasma to treat life-threatening conditions. During the COVID-19 crisis, global demand, prices, and shortages have increased. The federal government recognizes that increasing domestic plasma sufficiency will help to provide security of supply. Budget 2021 funding will allow Canadian Blood Services to construct and start-up six plasma collection sites across the country by 2024
• Currently, women, youth, LGBTQ2 people, racialized Canadians, and Indigenous populations face the highest sexual and reproductive health risks and the greatest barriers to accessing support, information, and services. Too often, they do not receive the same quality of care, particularly if they are from marginalized communities.
• Rare diseases are often chronic, can be seriously debilitating and potentially life-threatening. With few or no treatment options, available treatments can command high prices, which pose significant challenges to patients, caregivers, and the health care system, including the sustainability of public and private drug plans that pay for these drugs.
• Nearly 75% of rare diseases present from early in utero to late childhood, and nearly 95% of the rare diseases affecting children are currently without treatment. It is estimated that one in 15 children are born with a rare disease, and many of these children die before their first birthday: rare diseases account for 30-40% of neonatal deaths in Canada. One in four pediatric hospital beds are currently being occupied by a child with a rare disease.
• The government is committed to creating a new Canadian Drug Agency (CDA, the Agency). The Canadian Drug Agency Transition Office (CDATO) is engaging provinces, territories, and stakeholders to develop options for the mandate and functions of the new agency. The CDATO also supports work on other pharmacare-related initiatives (e.g., national formulary, drugs for rare diseases strategy).
• The Government has committed to implement national pharmacare, including a Canadian Drug Agency, a national formulary, a national strategy for drugs for rare diseases, and a Canada Pharmacare bill.
• The brand-name pharmaceutical industry has expressed concerns that the regulatory amendments could result in reduced pharmaceutical investments and reduced access to medicines. They have also filed legal proceedings. To date, the Federal Court ruled to maintain most of the Amendments, but struck down the collection of confidential rebate information. This ruling is currently the subject of an appeal by the applicants and cross-appeal by the Crown. In a separate challenge, the Court of Appeal of Québec found that the three new price regulatory factors and collection of confidential rebate information to be invalid. Neither party has decided to seek leave to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court of Canada, therefore those provisions would be of no force or effect in Québec.
• COVID Alert App currently continues to be maintained by Health Canada and uses strong measures to protect the privacy and confidentiality of data. A process to decommission the app as of June 10, 2022 is currently underway, although not yet public.
• Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada are working closely with the provinces and territories, federal organizations, as well as distribution channels in the private sector and non-profit organizations, such as the Canadian chambers of commerce, Canadian Red Cross and pharmacies, to distribute rapid tests and self tests.
Beginning in early April 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) had reported an increase in cases of acute severe hepatitis in children not caused by known hepatitis viruses. The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is collaborating with provincial and territorial health partners across the country to investigate cases in Canada. As of May 19, 2022, 10 cases of acute severe hepatitis in children that meet the national case definition have been identified in Canada. PHAC continues to work with its provincial and territorial health partners to further investigate these cases.