CBAC to Study Potential Implications of Gene Patents for the Health Care System

In its 2002 reportPatenting of Higher Life Forms and Related Issues to the federal government's Biotechnology Ministerial Coordinating Committee (BMCC), the Canadian Biotechnology Advisory Committee (CBAC) identified the need for governments to carefully examine and address the potential impacts of patenting of genetic materials on the health care system.

CBAC has agreed to a request to examine and provide advice to the federal government on this subject and has established a Working Party comprised of experts in various relevant fields. The Working Party will guide the implementation of a program of work leading to a report of findings, analyses and recommendations. The report will be made public.

During the course of this work, CBAC will consult with a wide range of stakeholders. Further information on the consultations will be provided at a later date.

The Expert Working Party consists of:

Arnold Naimark (Co-Chair)
Chair, CBAC
Professor
Faculty of Medicine and Physiology
University of Manitoba

Ron Yamada (Co-Chair)
Former Executive Vice President
Global Markets and Corporate Affairs
MDS Inc.

Timothy Caulfield
Research Director
Health Law Institute
University of Alberta

Abdallah S. Daar
Director
Program in Applied Ethics and Biotechnology
University of Toronto Joint Centre for Bioethics

Pavel Hamet
Director of Research
Research Centre
Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal

Arthur Kroeger
Chair
Canadian Policy Research Networks

Victor Ling
Vice-President of Research
British Columbia Cancer Agency and British Columbia Cancer Research Centre

Alex McPherson
President and CEO
Biomira Inc.

Joy Morrow
Senior Partner
Smart & Biggar/Fetherstonhaugh & Co.

Brian Postl
President and CEO
Winnipeg Regional Health Authority

Tom Closson
President and CEO
University Health Network

For further information, please contact CBAC at info@cbac-cccb.ca