Generic drugs and patient safety!

     Although physicians and patients have been repeatedly assured that the government's bulk purchases of generic drugs are as safe and well monitored in their production as those of the original  pharmaceutical manufacturer, a recent investigative journalism piece by the Toronto Star would make it appear otherwise.  The Star states that most of their information came from the FDA which inspects Canadian manufacturers both in Canada and abroad. The information was made available to the Star under the U.S. freedom of information laws.  The Star uncovered that while the FDA is transparent because of the freedom of information laws, Health Canada is secretive and does not give any information of the problems that it finds during individual inspections.  Some of the manufacturers are in India and China.  Cases of hidden or altered test data have been revealed. It would appear that Health Canada is giving the least information that it can.  This hardly inspires confidence; all of this information has to be easily available to anyone who requires it.  This particularly applies to prescribers, dispensers and to health care workers, anything less amount to negligence.  Not that the major drug companies are blameless but they are more transparent and the FDA does frequent and apparently thorough investigation and follow-up.   They have a great deal to lose if they do not rapidly conform. By all accounts the FDA are much more rigorous and hold the companies to account in a manner that Health Canada does not.
     The Ministry of Health has a major responsibility to oversee that its purchases not only save money, but to make sure that Canadians are not put at risk.  The first step is transparency.
 If you think this matters, make a comment or drop me a note at Stan@medicalmanes.com.