Whistleblowers at Health Canada fired Integrity of our regulatory system in question
Background
On July 14, 2004, three scientists in the Veterinary Drugs Directorate, Shiv Chopra, Margaret Haydon and Gerard Lambert, were fired by Health Canada. They are known as whistle-blowers as a result of their efforts to publicly raise awareness of various products and practices of questionable safety. Since the early 1990s they have spoken out about the use of antibiotics and hormones in livestock production, including genetically modified cow growth hormone.
While at Health Canada they were given gag orders, suspended without pay, reprimanded and demoted for disputing orders to approve drugs. In 2002, Chopra said "We're being told to approve things even without receiving data from the company. If we don't receive the data, then there's nothing we can do. But we're often told that the U.S. has approved it so we should approve it and we shouldn't even ask questions." From CTV story "Health Canada workers feel pressured to OK drugs".
In 1998 they were ordered to appear as witnesses in front of the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry hearings into rBST and the Drug Approval Process. Senate reported, "Several of the Health Canada scientists who appeared before the Committee were so concerned about their future employment that they delayed appearing until they had received assurance that there would be no reprisals. As well, they took the unusual step of swearing an oath before testifying. These concerns are serious, and the Committee re-iterates the point made during their appearance: it wishes to be contacted should they feel they are suffering reprisals related to their appearance, whether in the short or the long term." (emphasis added)
The pharmaceutical industry admits it lobbies Health Canada to speed up the approval process.
The Beyond Factory Farming Coalition and other organizations circulated a petition which was presented to Parliament, calling for an independent and public investigation into Health Canada’s firing of Shiv Chopra, Margaret Haydon and Gerald Lambert.
Update on the Situation
Transcript of Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates, Tuesday, February 15, 2005. The fired scientists testify regarding insufficiency of Bill C-11, the whistleblower protection bill.
- On April, 29 2005 the Federal Court rendered its decision in Chopra, Haydon, and Lambert’s application for judicial review of a report by the Public Service Integrity Officer ("PSIO") dated March 21, 2003, concerning allegations by the four applicants of wrongdoing at Health Canada. The judge stated, “the applicants' application for judicial review is allowed, the report of the PSIO is set aside and the matter is referred back to the PSIO for reconsideration.” Click here for the full decision.
- On May 11, 2005 the 'sign-on letter' calling for an independent investigation into the whistle-blower firings endorsed by 70 organizations was delivered to all Prime Minister Paul Martin, all Members of Parliament and all Senators.
- On May 19, 2005 the Standing Committee on Health heard testimony from the three scientists regarding the circumstances around their firing. (click here)
- On June 8, 2005 the petition signed by thousands of individual Canadians calling for an independent investigation into the whistle-blower firings was introduced into Parliament by MPs from each of the opposition parties.
- Canadian Health Coalition clipping archive: http://www.healthcoalition.ca/yourfired.pdf
Health Concerns Raised
Antibiotics in animal feed
The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for a stop to the routine use of antibiotics in animal feed due to their contribution to the rising incidence of human infections caused by antibiotic resistant bacteria. It is estimated that 90% of antibiotics used in Canada are used in agriculture as a feed additive for factory farmed poultry, swine and beef. The whistle-blowers have objected to approvals of antibiotics of the fluoroquinolone, erythromycin, tetracycline, and penicillin types for veterinary use.
- WHO Issues New Recommendations to Protect Human Health from Antimicrobial Use in Food Animals www.who.int
- Restrict antibiotic use in animals: scientists (Oct 2002) www.cbc.ca
- Europe Says "No" to Using Antibiotics to Promote Livestock Growth - Union of Concerned Scientists www.ucsusa.org
- Antibiotics in Animal Feed by Joan Stephenson, PhD Journal of the American Medical Assocation. 2003 jama.ama-assn.org
- Impacts of antimicrobial growth promoter termination in Denmark: The WHO international review panel’s evaluation of the termination of the use of antimicrobial growth promoters in Denmark. www.who.int
- CFIA Summary of Feed Drug Clearances - medicating ingredients approved for use in preventing, controlling and/or treating specific diseases and conditions of livestock in Canada. www.inspection.gc.ca
Growth Hormones in Livestock
In 2000 European inspectors evaluated drug residues in food animals in Canada. Six growth hormones being used here were banned in Europe because of links to cancer, among them revelor-H, approved by Health Canada against the advice of scientists.
Previous research shows that Revlor-H caused deformities in the ovaries, uterus, and prostate of the cows, and also damaged the thymus, which controls the immune system.
rBGH - Genetically Modified Cow Growth Hormone.
In 1990 Monsanto applied to Health Canada for approval of this drug. It was approved in the USA in1993. In 1997 Health Canada asked Shiv Chopra, Gerard Lambert and two others to do a "gaps analysis" of the data submitted by Monsanto and Eli Lily. They found that the companies had not provided data on the impact of this hormone on babies and children, nor was the question of IGF-1 (associated with increased breast and prostate cancers) answered. The scientists were asked to appear as witnesses before the Senate Committee on Agriculture. As a result, rBGH was not approved for use in Canada’s dairy sector.
- rBST and the Drug Approval Process, Interim Report by the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, March 1999 www.parl.gc.ca
- Biotech clampdown continues by Stephanie Power, August1998 users.westnet.gr
- The Evidence on rBST: The Safety of rBST for Humans www.parl.gc.ca rBST (Nutrilac) "Gaps Analysis" Report by rBST Internal Review Team Health Protection Branch, Health Canada April 21, 1998 www.nfu.ca
Whistle-blowers in the News
- Scientist wins whistle-blower award over BGH June1999 newsworld.cbc.ca
- Health Canada workers feel pressured to OK drugs July. 4 2002 www.ctv.ca Health Canada Scientists Blow the Whistle on Dangerous Drugs. CTV News July 3, 2002 www.healthcoalition.ca
- Canada sacks three scientists - Whistleblowers fighting terminations that a lobby group calls an 'ominous signal' The Scientist - July 17, 2004
- Health Canada told to compensate fired employee July 23 2004 www.ctv.ca