News Release
1998-10
February 18, 1998
Science Advisory Board holds first meeting
Ottawa - Health Minister Allan Rock met today with the members of the Science Advisory Board who will be examining Health Canada's science capacity and the future of health protection in Canada. At its first meeting, the Board, chaired by Dr. Roberta Bondar and made up of world renowned scientists, consumers, health professionals and other experts, focussed on establishing the Board's role and priorities in advising the Minister.
"Canada is fortunate to have brought together so many highly regarded experts to provide us with advice on how Health Canada can best meet its obligations to Canadians and the most appropriate mix of science and other expertise required to protect their health and safety," said Minister Rock.
Health Canada is conducting a comprehensive three year review of all its health protection programs from food and drug safety to environmental health risks and the department's surveillance and scientific capacity. The Minister established the Science Advisory Board to operate at arm's length from government and to provide him with advice during the course of this review and following its completion.
"The calibre of this distinguished group will not only benefit Health Canada as we modernize our health protection programs, but also provides Canada with a significant capacity for the consideration of important issues related to science and health in this country," added Minister Rock.
The Minister took the opportunity to welcome two new members to the Board, Dr. Yves Morin and Dr. Bernard Schwetz. Dr. Schwetz is director of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR) in Jefferson, Arkansas, and the interim chief scientist of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Dr. Morin is currently chief of cardiology at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec, and past vice-president of the Medical Research Council of Canada. Minister Rock concluded, "I look forward to working with the Science Advisory Board and receiving their advice as we improve our ability to protect the health and safety of all Canadians in the continuously changing and challenging global environment of the future."
The voluntary Board will meet several times a year. Its next meeting is scheduled for March 9 and 10, 1998.
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Media Inquiries:
Derek Kent
Health Canada
(613) 957-1515
Public Inquiries:
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