Forwarded message:
>
> Health Protection: Legislative Renewal and Women's Health
>
> Health Canada is undertaking nation-wide consultations on proposed new
> health protection legislation. This exercise is part of its process to
> replace the Food & Drugs Act, the Hazardous Products Act, the Radiation
> Emitting Devices Act, and the Quarantine Act with a new Canada Health
> Protection Act. The proposed changes have implications for all Canadians and
> specific implications for women's health.
>
> Public health and environmental issues that will be affected by the changes
> include:
>
> * Direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs
> * Drug regulation (including post-market surveillance of drugs)
> * Genetically modified and other "novel" foods
> * Drinking water
> * Communicable diseases
> * Confidentiality of safety data
> * Guiding principles of risk decision-making
> * Health protection issues in the context of international trade
>
> A schedule of hearings has yet to be announced but it is anticipated that
> they will begin in October 2003 and last until the spring of 2004.
>
> We strongly encourage you to consider registering for these hearings.
>
> There are two ways to register. You can call the office of Health Protection
> Legislative Renewal toll free at 1-888-288-2098 and request a copy of the
> report, Health and Safety First: A Proposal to Renew Federal Health
> Protection Legislation. Or you can also go to their site on the web:
> http://renewal.hc-sc.gc.ca/. Click the box on the left "To Participate" and
> then click #4: "Registration Form"
>
> Background
>
> A similar proposal to the one now under review was first introduced by
> Health Canada in 1998, when previous public consultations were held. At that
> time, concern was expressed by a number of groups and individuals across the
> country including Women and Health Protection - that this attempt to renew
> the federal legislation was merely, a smoke screen for deregulation and
> privatization.
>
> Some of the problems raised in the 1998 round of consultations have been
> addressed in this current proposal, but many concerns remain. Decide for
> yourself and let Health Canada know what you think. A copy of Health
> Canada's proposal (and technical background papers) are available on-line
> at:  http://renewal.hc-sc.gc.ca/
>
> What do changes in health protection legislation mean for women's health?
>
> As Women and Health Protection has pointed out in a number of our
> publications (www.whp-apsf.ca) health protection policy and legislation have
> specific implications for womens health. As the major users of drugs and
> devices, women have historically experienced a disproportionate share of
> adverse drug events. In addition, women have not historically been properly
> represented in clinical trials, meaning that the effects of drugs on them
> are not well known. Yet, at the same time, women are the target of
> considerable prescription drug advertising aimed at consumers. Medicalizing
> women's health issues has led to inappropriate prescribing on a massive
> scale (e.g. HRT for menopause) while new women's "diseases" are created in
> direct response to the development of new drugs (e.g. Pfizers testing of a
> pink Viagrafor female sexual dysfunction).
>
> The proposals for new health protection legislation now under review touch -
> directly and indirectly - on these and other issues of particular concern
> for women. We urge you to look at what is being proposed and also to visit
> our website for more details on some of these areas of concern for womens
> health.
>
> Women and Health Protection
> P.O. Box 291, Station Q
> Toronto, Ontario
> M4T 2M1
>
> www.whp-apsf.ca
>
> O9/2003

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