The cynic in me tells me the reason there's overlap—it's been created by some very intelligent deputy ministers and others—is to save initial money in the provincial health care budgets. The longer you can delay an approval, the less likely you are to have to pay for the drug. That's a cynical approach. It may well be that I'm wrong in my cynicism.
The other comment I have is that Health Canada and all the provinces have what's called a patient-centred approach. Everyone talks about the patient-centred approach. The patient ain't at the centre of anything I've seen in this process. I think it's about time the patient got to the centre as expert, as adviser, and as the person who says I want or need this drug.
I think you have to go back to the bureaucrats and ask them how many bureaucracies they have to create in order to make a drug available.
I agree, there needs to be one national organization, but I think it has to be able to take some recognition of what's gone on in other major countries when they've processed the medications. We need to have deep investigation, but I don't think we have to reinvestigate. I think that adds significant cost to the pharmaceutical companies, and significant delays.
Those are my comments, for what they're worth.