Canadian Pharmaceutical Caused Deaths(from Alive Magazine - May 1998 issue)
On March 10, 1998 at 9:00 am, I presented my speech on the regulation of natural products to members of Parliament. Five of the 15 MPs who represent the Standing Committee on Health were present. Obviously the other 10 felt that it wasn't important enough to show for or even to be on time. The Committee's mandate is to make suggestions to Health Canada on the regulation of natural products. According to Health Canada the reason for this public review is safety, I don't buy it! My main point to the Committee was that Health Canada and the Health Protection Branch needlessly endanger the lives of Canadians with over-regulation of low-risk natural health products, rather than dealing with the many thousands of deaths resulting from high-risk pharmaceutical drugs. I supported this statement with government statistics. Statistics Canada's "Causes of Death" details over 8,512 deaths from pharmaceutical drugs between 1988 and 1995. The total for 1995 is over 1,794 deaths. This alone is an enormous amount, but it's not the whole story. There are many more deaths resulting from pharmaceutical drugs hiding under specific names and allergic reactions. (These deaths do not include suicides.)
HPB Mission Statement How? By prescription only? By enforcing a medical monopoly that forces surgery, radiation and chemical drugs (cut, burn and poison) on Canadians? Even John D. Rockefeller, the man that funded this cruel medical system, had a full-time, personal homeopath! If Health Canada considers that vitamins and minerals are drugs that require drug identification numbers, then our doctors should be able to prescribe them! But no, sorry the sad truth is that although Health Canada's stated mission is to help the people of Canada maintain and improve their health, they insist on double standards for their colleagues in the pharmaceutical industry. (Don't worry we'll make sure they can only spend their health care dollars with you!) When you're sick, you can only buy from their store and their doctor! This is not freedom of choice! You have to pay twice if you really want to get better: once for medical coverage and taxation, and again to buy the natural products that really work! How can the government take our money and leave us without democratic choices for health care? Will you let them regulate natural products right out of the hands of those who need them most-the elderly, single mothers and their children?
High Cost of Disease Care Instead of getting the hospital care you pay for, through National Home Care the medical system will send you home with a bag of drugs! (Pay us to take care of you then go and take care of yourself). All this is courtesy of Health Minister Allan Rock and his partners, the dozens of pharmaceutical companies who promote this with him. In 1995 British Columbia had 181 "accidental drug poisonings." This was the largest in Canada by sheer volume. In 1996 this figure rose sharply to 267 deaths. An increase of 68 per cent. According to Statistics Canada and the Health Protection Branch, deaths resulting from natural product use are zero vs 8,512 pharmaceutical-related deaths. The fact is, our valuable health resources are allocated to further regulations for low-risk natural products while thousand and thousands of our fellow Canadians are dying needlessly from high-risk pharmaceuticals year after year. It's absolutely frightening! Some of our worst diseases can often be reversed for less than $50 per month by using vitamins, minerals, herbs and other natural remedies. The public will never learn about these healing products from their orthodox medical doctors who are both strongly linked to and trained with money from pharmaceuticals. Dear Canadians, our medical system is holding us hostage. And the ransom is paid to the pharmaceutical companies! My recommendations are: - Launch an immediate full public investigation of the Health Protection Branch and Health Canada. - Take immediate action with regards to the high risk pharmaceutical drugs. - Re-open government laboratories for high-risk product testing and random testing. - Amend the Food and Drug Act to redefine the term "drug" to exclude natural health products. - Work to keep natural products within reach of the most needy. Based on the 1995 Statistics Canada figures, by the end of today another five Canadians will die from high-risk pharmaceutical drugs. Call Health Minister Allan Rock at his office in Ottawa. Phone (613) 957-0200 or fax at (613) 952-1154
Write to (postage is free): Minister of Health,
Call Beth Phinney, MP Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Health Read the USA article. |