Public Policy Forum Calls for Sweeping Reforms to Bolster Canada's Health Security

OTTAWA, ON, Aug. 13, 2024 /CNW/ - The Public Policy Forum (PPF) today unveiled a new report that underscores the urgent need for sweeping reforms to enhance Canada's health security, including the establishment of a Canadian Health Security Agency, as well as a transformation of supply chain management and a strengthening of the country's life sciences capabilities.

PPF's report, titled Exposed: How Canada can close its health security gaps, was developed through consultation with industry, government and academic experts. It notes that although some strides have been made since the pandemic, Canada remains the only G7 country without a national health security and emergency co-ordinating agency. As well, it highlights the absence of a national asset map of life sciences goods and points to an emergency supply system that is not ready for the next health security emergency.

"Canada's allies stand ready to meet oncoming threats with systemic, integrated approaches to public health emergencies and attacks, infectious diseases and pandemics," the report says. "We cannot say the same of ourselves."

The report also notes that if the final act of a pandemic is amnesia, "then we are well and truly in the forgetting phase," with atrophying relationships between key leaders established during the all-hands-on-deck days of COVID-19. "As the pandemic fades further into the background, the more time we have had to learn our lessons and ensure better preparedness in the future is also more time we have lost."

"As the report points out is unfortunately typical, too many decision-makers are forgetting the lessons of the pandemic. True health security requires institutional and policy support," said Edward Greenspon, PPF President and CEO. "With this second report by PPF's Life Sciences Forum, our calls for change grow ever more urgent and the time to act until the next pandemic grows shorter."

The report's recommendations include:

• Create a Canada Health Security Agency (CHSA) to develop a 'Team Canada' approach among federal, provincial, territorial and municipal health care officials, as well as life sciences hubs, academic centres, businesses and incubators to respond to future health security emergencies;
• Develop legislation to facilitate data sharing and proprietary information about critical life sciences products for the public good;
• Require comprehensive and proactive procurement, stockpiling and replenishing of essential emergency supplies at all health-care facilities in Canada;
• Negotiate a U.S. commitment for uninterrupted trade in life sciences essential products in the event of an international health emergency;
• Incentivize financing at all stages of company development to build anchor life sciences companies in Canada; and
• Measure our own progress through the publication of an annual report card on health security preparedness.

"Together, these actions would secure Canada's status as a top customer in the global market," the report says, as well as "one that can deliver greater health security for all Canadians."

SOURCE Public Policy Forum

For more information please contact: Alison Uncles, Vice President, PPF Media + Communications, Public Policy Forum, [email protected]