Health Canada Scientists Blow the Whistle on Dangerous Drugs
CTV News
July 3, 2002
KEN SHAW: Good evening. Health Canada is the government agency Canadians rely on to protect them from unsafe drugs. But that trust is being shaken tonight by stunning allegations. Four senior Health Canada scientists have told CTV News the agency has approved dozens of drugs that may be downright dangerous. The drugs in question are veterinary drugs, medicine given to livestock that eventually find their way up the food chain to humans. The scientists know they may be risking their jobs by blowing the whistle, but say the public needs to know. CTV's food specialist Jennifer Tryon has the details in this exclusive report.
JENNIFER TRYON (Reporter): These Health Canada scientists are breaking the code of silence, revealing they feel pressure to approve certain drugs that may not be safe.
SHIV CHOPRA (Health Canada Scientist): We were being pressured to pass drugs of questionable safety because of the pharmaceutical companies.
MARGARET HAYDON (Health Canada Scientist): The public doesn't know what happens at Health Canada, and this is why I'm here to speak out.
GERARD LAMBERT (Health Canada Scientist): Our job is at stake, but I think what is important is public safety.
TRYON: One example is a veterinary drug called Tylosin. It's used to fight bacteria in chickens. Banned in Europe, some studies show it can cause deadly food poisoning and make the human body resistant to certain antibiotics. Worst-case scenario?
CHOPRA: People are picking up these bacteria and other bugs that are becoming resistant, and then they die from it because there's nothing left to treat them with.
TRYON: Dr. Cris Basudde alerted Health Canada to the possible risks. But the drug was approved in May.
DR. CHRIS BASUDDE (Health Canada Scientist): I ended up being reprimanded, being branded disrespectful to colleagues.
TRYON: CTV News obtained a copy of a letter reprimanding Basudde for his approach in disagreeing with the approval process. It stated, "Please consider this letter as a written reprimand. Failure to address this behaviour will result in more severe disciplinary action." Drug companies and these scientists agree the approval system is flawed. Health Canada puts the onus on drug makers to prove their products are safe. To recoup their R&D investment, companies need drugs need to be approved, and quickly. These scientists say that's what leads to pharmaceutical pressuring.
IAN ALEXANDER (Health Canada): Health Canada staff are not being pressured by manufacturers.
TRYON: But the pharmaceutical industry admits it is lobbying Health Canada, not to approve unsafe drugs, but to speed up the drug approval process.
GERRY HARRINGTON (Non-Prescription Drug Manufacturers Association): If it hadn't created some internal pressures, I'd be frankly a little disappointed almost because you expect some sort of response to what is a very serious issue from our standpoint.
CHOPRA: The risk is the public. Our children, our community of Canada.
TRYON: The dissident scientists say they won't be satisfied until there's a full Senate investigation into why Health Canada continues to approve drugs some of its senior most scientists say could one day harm Canadians. Jennifer Tryon, CBC News, Ottawa.
SHAW: For details on the effects of veterinary medicines on humans, log on to our website, ctv-dot-ca. And we're going to take a closer look at the whole issue of food, health and diets starting tonight in special reports we call "what you eat." Later in this newscast, men and their growing obsession with body image.