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The following is a review of developments affecting health care in CanadaThe information is updated the first week of every month - so ... make this a regular stop in your information gathering activities.The following information has been compiled from publicly available sources, StratCom does not assume any responsibility for the accuracy or the authenticity of the information and StratCom cannot be held liable for errors.
Healthcare in Canada - September 2001
The government of Canada is developing legislation to protect the privacy and confidentially of personal information. The proposed legislation, the Personal Information Protection and Documents Act (Bill C-6), will be reviewed by a Senate Committee this fall and is expected to be implemented in January 2002. Cancer agencies across Canada have become embroiled in a patent rights dispute with Myriad Genetics Inc. since the company began asserting its exclusive patent rights for sequencing of the breast cancer susceptibility genes BRCA1 and BRCA2. Provincial health departments received legal notice that sequencing of these genes must now be done using Myriad's BRAC-Analysis technique at its laboratory in Salt Lake City at a cost of $3,850. Canadian hospitals can perform their own hereditary breast cancer testing at one-third the cost. However as of this summer, the British Columbia Cancer Agency has discontinued testing for these genes and Canada's other two major provincial cancer care agencies, Ontario and Alberta, may soon follow. In BC., hospitals will continue to provide cancer-risk counseling to individuals and families who meet referral criteria for BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene sequencing, but only those families who choose to pay for the hereditary testing will receive the service.
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The Ontario government is investing $190.2 million in special grants to upgrade and modernize medical equipment, announced Health and Long-Term Care Minister Tony Clement. Hospitals, cancer treatment centers, long-term care facilities, independent health facilities, community health centers and municipalities for ambulance services will be the direct beneficiaries. The grants will provide hospitals and independent health facilities with the opportunity to replace existing diagnostic equipment with units that are compatible with modern computerized and digital technologies, capable of providing enhanced imaging quality. Ambulance services will use their funds to replace defibrillators and vehicles. Community health center clients will benefit from upgraded treatment equipment and Cancer Care Ontario will continue to replace and upgrade cancer treatment equipment. 