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Report on the Workshop by and for Youth
February 21, 2002
In partnership with YouCAN!
June 2002
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(PDF Version - 543 K)What is Youth Engagement and Why Should We Do It
Workshop Outlines and Objectives
Role Play on Three HPFB Issues
Checklist on Issues of Interest to Youth
Key Findings from Workshop Evaluation
Key Findings from Checklist of Issues
Pharmaceutical Drug and Medical Devices
Bilogics and Genetic Therapies
Regulatory and International Affairs
Observations from Health Canada Staff and YouCAN! Team
Appendix A - Workshop Evaluation Form
Appendix C - Description of Role Plays
Appendix D - Answer Sheet for the Regulatory Process Game
Appendix E - Checklist of Issues
Appendix F - Checklist of Issues Results
Acknowledgements
Health Canada's Office of Consumer and Public Involvement (OCAPI) and YouCAN! would like to acknowledge the following individuals and organizations for their participation in this collaborative project.
They are: Dave Farthing, Robert Paiement and the entire YouCAN! team; Erin Lepine, Tilak Gunawardhane, Jacinthe Guindon, Sylvie Cantin, Jo-Ann Julien, Joan Commerford, Amanda Hewitt and Ron Clingen from OCAPI who contributed ideas and expertise at various stages of the project; members of the Health Products and Food Branch (HPFB) Public Involvement Network; Naresh Nebiddin and Jody Aylard from the Regulatory Affairs and Orders in Council Secretariat at the Privy Council Office; Mary Hegan and Christopher Lebrun from the Office of Regulatory and International Affairs, Health Products and Food Branch (HPFB); Douglas Connors and Crystallina Chiu from the Natural Health Products Directorate (HPFB); Darren Leyte from the Food Directorate (HPFB); Cathy Robinson and Jane Chapman from Allium Consulting Inc.; Chris Lawson and Brian Collacott from DesignCo.
A sincere thanks to one and all who made this event possible and contributed to its success.
Purpose
The purpose of this report is to share our experience and lessons learned in developing and implementing a collaborative workshop on issues related to the Health Products and Food Branch (HPFB) of Health Canada. The workshop was the culmination of a productive partnership between the Office of Consumer and Public Involvement and YouCAN! (Youth Canada Association).
Introduction
OCAPI was pleased to establish a first partnership with youth because it is one of the targeted groups identified as usually being under-represented in HPFB consultations.
YouCan was interested in finding financial support through Health Canada for Resolve it 2002 - A Peace Odyssey, YouCAN!'s third annual conference on peace-building and conflict resolution in Toronto.
Both engaged in a partnership which gave Health Canada the opportunity to identify youth interests on HPFB issues, increase awareness and understanding of HPFB policy and regulatory processes and to have access to a network of trained youth facilitators.
For YouCan!, it gave youth a chance to network with Health Canada officials and learn about opportunities to involve youth. Funds contributed by OCAPI helped defray the travel expenses of the conference facilitators. This partnership was a way to start building a lasting relationship between OCAPI and YouCAN!
The partnership took the form of a joint half-day workshop - delivered as part of YouCAN!'s pre-conference activities - to a group of 60 youth facilitators from across the country.
Background
YouCAN!
Established in 1997, YouCAN! (Youth Canada Association) is a national non-profit organization run for youth and by youth. YouCAN! is dedicated to involving youth in decisions and policy-making that affect them directly. Activities range from public education and research to facilitation training, skill-building workshops and conferences. YouCAN!'s objective is to foster a deeper understanding of non-violent problem-solving methods among youth, enhance communication skills and model constructive ways to resolve conflict.
YouCAN!'s Board of Directors is comprised of 10 youth members from across Canada and supported by an Adult Advisory Committee.
More than11,000 youth from across Canada have participated in YouCAN! sponsored events since 1997.
YouCAN! draws on a network of 80 youth facilitators that have been trained in conflict resolution, to deliver its programs and activities.
They hold national conferences on peace-building and conflict resolution which bring together young people, youth-serving agencies and federal and provincial/territorial governments to build networks, share best practices and develop action plans.
About 589 youth participated in the conference on PeaceBuilding and Conflict Resolution in Toronto from February 21 -24, 2002, Resolve It! 2002 - A Peace Odyssey: International Youth
OCAPI
The Office of Consumer and Public Involvement - called OCAPI - serves as a centre of expertise for the Health Products and Food Branch (HPFB) on ways of meaningfully engaging the public in policy and decision-making processes. The Branch deals with a range of issues related to healthy eating, informed use of food, natural health products and therapeutic products - including drugs, biologics and medical devices.
Outreach to youth
Outreach to groups not traditionally consulted or under-represented is one of OCAPI's key activities. The objective is to build linkages and relationships with individuals and organizations that have a specific interest in issues related to the Branch.
As part of advancing its outreach to youth, OCAPI has made presentations to the Health Canada Youth Committee (HCYC) and the Population and Public Health Branch (PPHB) Division of Childhood and Adolescence (DCA). Outreach staff also attended the first annual conference of the Centres of Excellence for Children's Wellbeing in Ottawa, November 23-24, 2001.1 A first partnership was developed with YouCan after meeting the organization at the HCYC where a presentation was made on the conference.
What is Youth Engagement and Why Should We Do It?
Youth represent a significant portion of the Canadian population. The 18-24 age group alone makes up approximately three million people - 10% of the Canadian population, or 12% of the adult population.2
" If you want to captivate me, tell me a personal story. Share with me an experience that changed your life in some way. Let me see your eyes light up when you talk to me. Let me feel your words jump off the page when you write so passionately about this transition in your life. When you're finished giving me a glimpse into this amazing moment of change, show me that this stuff you have just told me about -- getting involved, doing something that means something, and accomplishing something awesome -- is something that I can do too."
Centre of Excellence on Youth Engagement What is "youth engagement"? According to the Centre of Excellence on Youth Engagement, it is the meaningful participation and sustained involvement of a young person in an activity which has a focus outside of him or herself. Full engagement consists of a behavioural component (e.g., spending time doing the activity), an affective component (e.g., deriving pleasure from participating in it) and a cognitive component (e.g., knowledge about the activity).3
In a recent speech, Stoney McCart, Executive Director of the Centre of Excellence on Youth Engagement, submits that "research to date shows a significant benefit for youth engaged in activities outside themselves, in terms of educational success, career aspirations enhanced self-esteem, and non-destructive personal behaviours. Benefits for community include that these individuals show lower rates of delinquency, and greater participation as adults in civic and political involvement."4
Although young adults are not a uniform group, they do share certain attitudes and beliefs. The report Listening to Canadians: Focus on Young Adults, published by Communication Canada on January 23, 2002, reveals that youth are positive about the future and the government and think the government can make a difference in their lives. However, they are "not engaged on government issues, do not know much about the government, and say government messages do not get across to them. In other words, a certain disconnect exists between the government and young people in their day-to-day lives. Overall, while reaching them is a challenge, young adults are open and receptive to government communications."5
Methodology
Given the challenge for government information to reach out to youth and the importance in terms of percentage of the adult population, OCAPI concluded that YouCAN's conference would provide a sound format to engage youth on HPFB issues.
YouCAN! is an organization for and by youth and is used to engage youth in many activities. It has developed expertise on methods to approach youth in ways where they feel comfortable to be involved.
Youth facilitators were chosen as participants for different reasons. First, they represent the greatest youth cultural, demographic and class diversity. They would also provide representation from throughout the country. With their past experience either in facilitating youth groups or by being involved in their communities, they would be best positioned to share youth opinions on HPFB issues. They would also be critical of the facilitation methods used during the workshop and this would be useful in organizing future activities involving youth.
A working group was set up in HPFB to involve interested directorates which wanted further public input - in this context from youth - on policies, regulations or programs in development. Members of the working group were:
- Mary Hegan and Christopher Lebrun, Office of Regulatory and International Affairs,
- Douglas Connors and Crystallina Chiu, Natural Health Products Directorate, Darren Leyte from the Food Directorate (HPFB),
- Erin Lepine (chair) and Tilak Gunawardhane, Office of Consumer and Public Involvement.
The Office of Regulatory and International Affairs and the Natural Health Products and Food directorate met several times to determine the content of the workshop.
YouCAN! was responsible for designing the activities of the workshop and OCAPI was continually in contact with the organization to make sure it was satisfied with the format and content. Senior trainers from the YouCAN! network provided input on the format of the workshop.
An evaluation form covering the objectives of the main activities of the workshop was distributed to all youth participants (see Appendix A - Evaluation Form). The information was compiled by OCAPI. OCAPI met with YouCAN! to get its comments on the lessons learned and suggestions for future partnerships. The HPFB working group also met after the event to evaluate the activity.
Workshop Outline and Objectives
The "for youth and by youth" workshop was developed to determine youth priorities on health protection issues. The main objective was to get valuable knowledge on how to meaningfully involve youth in future HPFB public involvement activities while at the same time educating youth on a variety of health protection issues.
The workshop primarily covered four sections (see Appendix B - Workshop Program):
- PowerPoint presentation on HPFB
- Role play on three HPFB issues
- Regulatory Game
- Checklist on issues of interest to youth
PowerPoint Presentation
At the end of the presentation on HPFB, the youth were expected to have a better understanding of the goals and objectives of the Branch and the responsibilities of the different directorates such as Biologics and Genetic Therapies, Food, HPFB Inspectorate and Nutrition Policy and Promotion. The presentation was made by YouCan staff.
The presentation explained what the Branch does to protect the health of Canadians through guidelines and regulations on the quality and safety of food and health products. It was made clear that the Branch uses strong scientific evidence and promotes citizen involvement in analyzing the risks and benefits of any health product.
Role play on three HPFB issues
The objective of the role playing was to help youth get a better understanding of a particular health protection issue and to note the areas of mutual interest from different stakeholders as portrayed by participants. Health Canada officials regarded the common ground coming out of the discussions as useful information on the public point of view for developing new policy.
The participants were divided into three groups, each dealing with one issue. A senior youth facilitator first explained the issue to all participants to give them a common knowledge of the topic. Participants were then divided into two sub-groups. Each participant was given an outline of his/her role. The participants had a few minutes to read their roles and get ready for discussion within the sub-groups.
The role playing included a representative from Health Canada and representatives from the following stakeholders: advocacy group, industry, consumer. (See Appendix C - Description of Role plays). Health Canada officials were circulating and observing in the groups dealing with their particular areas of expertise.
Regulatory Game
This activity provided a general overview of the regulatory process using a cooperative game approach that was fun and easy to understand.
As a preamble, each participant received a bottle of water, opened it and took a sip. The facilitator then asked them if they ever stopped to think about whether the bottle of water was safe to drink or if they just took it for granted.
It was explained that HPFB is now reviewing the regulation on bottled water and a regulation was defined as a form of law that stems from an act and is binding. The role of the industry, the consumer and the legislator was also presented.
The group was divided into three teams and each team received a set of colourful boards, each describing a step in the regulatory process. Each group was asked to piece it together in a limited time the way they thought the process would make sense to them. The groups compared their results against an answer sheet. (See Appendix D - Answer Sheet for the Regulatory Process Game) The facilitator later explained the real process and answered questions.
Checklist on issues of interest to youth
The checklist was designed to discover what HPFB issues were of interest to young people or made them want to get involved. Participants were asked to review the list of 48 issues and indicate their level of interest in each. The issues were presented under the following topics related to the directorates:
- Veterinary drugs
- Pharmaceutical drugs and medical devices
- Biologics and genetic therapies
- Nutrition
- Food
- Regulatory and international issues
- Natural health products
- General (category)
Participants could make one of four choices - being interested and wanting to be involved in decisions was at the high end of the scale while not really caring about the issue was at the lower end of the scale. (See Appendix E - Checklist of Issues)
Fifty-two youth facilitators participated in the workshop. It was facilitated by the YouCAN! executive director. Health Canada officials participated as observers.
Key Findings from Workshop Evaluation
There were 52 participants ranging in the age from 15 to 25 with an average age average of 18.5. More young women (68%) than men (32%) participated to the workshop. They were generally representative of Canada. However, no participants came from Prince Edward Island and Nunavut and very few came from Quebec.
According to the evaluation, youth very much enjoyed the workshop. The highest level of satisfaction was with learning a lot of information throughout the workshop. Most of the participants found that the facilitators did an excellent job. The majority agreed to enthusiastically recommend it to friends. They also stated that they could easily explain what HPFB does and at the end felt empowered to participate in Health Canada's decision-making process. This shows that the workshop met one of the objectives which was to increase awareness and understanding of HPFB.
Legend:
1=Strongly Agree
2=Agree
3=No opinion
4= Don't Agree
5= Strongly Disagree
Out of the four workshop activities, youth preferred the role playing. They regarded the debriefing, youth feedback opportunities and Health Canada's comments as important elements of the exercise. They became aware of the different opinions on health issues. The regulatory game and discussion on youth priorities came second and the PowerPoint presentation was rated the lowest. The satisfaction was high considering that the lowest score falls between "somewhat enjoyed" and "no opinion".
Legend:
1=Strongly Agree
2=Somewhat Enjoyed
3=No opinion
4= Didn't enjoy
5= Didn't enjoy at all
Most interestingly, youth strongly agree that they should be involved in Health Canada's decision-making and strongly believe that input from youth will improve program results and strengthen support for regulatory and policy decisions. The idea of participating in future public involvement activities, if they knew more about when and how, was high. They also believe that Health Canada listens to the public and factors public input into its policy development and program delivery.
Legend:
1=Strongly Agree
2=Agree
3=No opinion
4= Don't Agree
5= Strongly Disagree
Participants were asked to specify what was the most important thing that they learned at the workshop. Drug Identification Numbers (DIN) ranked the highest with 42%. For youth, A DIN means a drug has been approved by Health Canada and that it is safe for consumers. According to 37% of the participants, learning about Health Canada and receiving information was most important. Almost one-third regarded youth awareness and need for involvement as being important.
As suggestions to improve a future workshop, 25% of participants mentioned the PowerPoint presentation. They said it could be enhanced by more graphics, visuals and movie clips and less information. They also thought the workshop could be refined by spending more time on fewer subjects, by prioritizing Health Canada's issues, and having facilitators who were more informed on Health Canada.
Participants provided other very positive comments such as the workshop being a good method of outreach. They claimed there was a need for greater awareness among youth and the public and suggested that Health Canada should go into schools to promote awareness.
Key Findings from Checklist of Issues
Youth indicated in what HPFB issues they were interested and/or wanted to get involved. They had to select one of the following choices:
- interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decisions
- interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so I don't need to be involved
- interested in this issue and think more information about it should be made available to the public
- don't really care about this issue.
Following are the top subjects in which they wanted to be involved:
- how youth can be heard (52%)
- ethical issues in clinical trials (50%)
- making sure drugs are available for compassionate reasons (46%)
- safety of Canada's blood supply (46%)
- organ and tissue donation in Canada (40%)
- access to safe and effective drugs and therapies (40%)
Youth rated many issues of interest and wanted more information made available to the public. The highest subjects emanated from the Food Directorate. The most important was food-borne illness (56%). Other topics - all highly rated at 50% - are genetically-modified food, food allergens, chemical contaminants in food, food irradiation, seafood toxins and food additives.
It is important to note that very few (8% or less) respondents had no interest in the issues except for ways of packaging scientific findings (14%), globalization in the pharmaceutical industry (12%) and the role of consumer and public activists (12%).
Veterinary Drugs
Youth are interested in the issues concerning Veterinary Drugs but trust Health Canada in those areas. The evaluation results indicated that they do not see the need to be involved, especially in the environmental impact of farm management practices (52%) and drug resistance (46%). On the other hand, however, as many as 32% indicated they wanted to be involved in drug resistance issues - the highest interest of any of the topics. They think more information should be made available on all issues and most importantly on the approval process and veterinary drug residues in food and meat.
Pharmaceutical Drugs and Medical Devices
As mentioned previously, youth would like to be consulted on two issues: ethics in clinical trials (50%) and drug availability for compassionate reasons (46%). Many issues are of interest to youth but they trust Health Canada's work in those areas: approval procedures (44%), medical devices (36%), low-risk products such as sunscreen (42%) and impact of globalization on the pharmaceutical industry (36%). One-quarter to one-third of participants requested more information on the drug issues, especially on low-risk products such as antiperspirants and toothpaste, probably because they are day-to-day consumers of those products.
Biolobics and Genetic Therapies
Interestingly, BGTD comes second in the sections in which youth want to be involved. The leading topic is blood supply safety (46%) followed by organ and tissue donation (40%) and safe and effective drugs and therapies (40%). Close to one-third would like to have more information on those subjects.
Nutrition
Youth are mainly interested in having more information made available on nutrition issues - nutritional labelling (48%), guidelines on healthy weights (46%), nutrition during pregnancy (42%), healthy eating (40%) and nutrition in diabetes prevention and management (40%). They feel that the Department is doing a good job on guidelines and standards (46%). The vitality program rates highest (30%) among topics on which they want to be consulted. It addresses healthy eating, active living and positive self-esteem.
Food
As mentioned at the beginning of the findings, food topics topped the list of issues where respondents thought more information was needed. Fifty-six per cent wanted more information on food-borne illness, followed by genetically-modified (GM) food (50%), food allergens (50%), chemical contaminants in food (50%), food irradiation (50%), seafood toxins (50%), additives (50%), nutritional quality and safety (40%) and mad cow disease (40%). It is important to note that more than one-third would like to be consulted on food labelling (36%) and GM food (34%).
Regulatory and International Affairs
A main interest of youth is in having more information made available to the public, especially on the environmental impact of chemicals in cosmetics, pharmaceutcals and other personal care products (40%) and links between chemicals in food and other products and humain health (40%). Even though youth (40%) seem to trust Health Canada's judgement in considering other international regulations as its own, this subject was rated the highest (30%) for wanting to be involved in the decision.
Natural Health Products
In most of the issues, youth believe that more information should be made available to the public, the uppermost (46%) being to make sure that consumers have the information they need to make informed choices. Other topics of importance are interactions between drugs and natural health products (42%), adverse reactions to products (42%) and current and emerging research (40%). Youth feel that the Department is trustworthy in determining the good manufacturing practices (46%) and the safety and efficacy of products (44%). The issue on which youth most want to be consulted is labelling of natural health products (28%).
More Generally
As mentioned in the beginning, the main subject on which the participants want to be consulted is on how youth can be heard (52%). One-third would also like to be involved in ways for citizens to work with regulations and law-makers. They would like more information on how to package scientific findings and the role of consumer and public activists.
Observations from Health Canada Staff and YouCAN Team
Overall, both partners found that the format for the session was appropriate and the effort produced both short and long-term benefits. Youth were found to be good communicators and very dynamic. They are transparent and speak from the heart.
The results of the evaluation are consistent with studies indicating that Canadians in general would like to be involved in government decisions. It also reinforces the recommendation of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry in its March 1999 report requesting that HPFB involve Canadians in the decision making process and disseminate more information to the public. It is important to note that youth have the same interest as Canadians in general concerning public involvement activities.
Regarding the role play on food irradiation, the Food Directorate gained a youth perspective on this issue. Not surprisingly, the views expressed by youth at the conference reiterate the themes from the public opinion received through other focus groups. The majority opinion was that more education is needed in order to foster greater acceptance of the technology. Participants expressed a lack of knowledge on food irradiation and were reluctant to form opinions due to this gap.They said they felt the term irradiation had a negative connotation which caused some to have concerns. They were undecided on the issue. The youth suggested that they would feel more confident if assured that testing had been done to establish the safety of irradiated food. They expressed apprehension over the issue of long-term health effects of irradiated foods.
The Natural Health Products (NHP) Directorate observed that youth were seeking more information than was provided for the role play. In general, they seemed to take extreme positions on what Health Canada should and should not do. According to the participants, a public awareness campaign should be a number one priority for Health Canada. This campaign would help to better explain the rationale behind the allocating of Drug Identification Number (DIN) and the impending NHP numbers, as well as how to find a properly regulated product. They suggested that Health Canada should take the initiative in creating or setting international standards, increasing testing, and promotion of healthier lifestyles in general. Overall, they wanted stricter regulations and more information.
The Office of Regulatory and International Affairs (ORIA) was pleased with the enthusiasm and creativity with which the youth tackled the role play on the Environmental Assessment Regulations (EAR). Through the role play, ORIA gained a very important perspective on the issue and how it is viewed when first presented. The EAR are very unique as they are a proactive endeavour and are not based on reaction to a known health or environmental problem. Judging by the role play, we can safely assume that the youth thought that the presence of Food and Drug Act products in the Environment was harmful since Health Canada was creating these regulations. One youth went as far as to assume that birds would be flying upside-down due to genetic mutation caused by traces of pharmaceuticals in the environment. Therefore, ORIA realized that the EAR are not an issue that can be clearly understood at first glance. Therefore, the necessary steps must be taken to ensure that the issues be stated clearly in order to prevent misinterpretation.
On the Regulatory Process Game, youth learned about the approval process and one team came close to the actual steps. It is interesting to find at what step in the process that youth placed "public input" on the board. Two of the three teams started with the public involvement card and all teams put "public input" after Canada Gazette Part 1 which corresponds to the actual process. The first and final steps were close to reality. It is clear that Justice and Cabinet have the final say before publication in Canada Gazette Part 2. The term "final draft" seemed to have caused confusion. It could be clarified by distinguishing between "1st draft" which relates to the steps leading to the first publication in Canada Gazette and "final draft" related to the approvals needed for the publication in Canada Gazette Part 2.
Lessons Learned
Some areas could be improved in the organization of future activities with youth. The presentation on HPFB at the beginning of the workshop could be enhanced visually, kept shorter, and presented by Health Canada officials.
Even though the role playing was very much enjoyed, it would have been easier if further information was provided on the issues and the characters, or if Health Canada's experts had acted as resources. The quality of the debate would have been enhanced if the characters could have asked questions.
Hosting a workshop on the day prior to a large international conference may not be the best time as the organization is busy with last-minute details. A workshop during the conference may be a better option.
Conclusion
The objectives of the partnership and the session were met. A continued relationship with YouCAN! offers Health Canada the resource of youth facilitators across the country. The organization provides the Department with a vehicle for engaging youth at a grassroots level. It allows the Branch to leverage the credibility and trust of a run-by-and-for-youth organization with a group that is skeptical of traditional, conservative institutions like government departments.
The input of youth is valued and Health Canada now has a very good sense of the issues that are of interest to that sector of the population. It is clear on what issues they want to be consulted and on what topics they need further information. These findings will be very useful for planning promotion and public involvement strategies in the future.
Appendix A - Workshop Evaluation Form
What Youth Think on Health and Safety - Youth Priorities for Health Protection YouCAN! Workshop, Feb.21, 2002 (Toronto)
Thank you for taking the time to complete the questionnaire. Your answers will only be used to evaluate the workshop, and all responses will be treated confidentially. As the scoring system in each section is slightly different, please read the instructions carefully.
Demographics
Please indicate the year you were born ____
Please indicate your gender: __male __female
Section I
Please let us know how you enjoyed (or didn't) each section of the agenda and if you would recommend we include it in future workshops.
Topic
1 = Enjoyed Greatly
2 = Somewhat Enjoyed
3 = No Opinion
4 = Didn't Enjoy
5 = Didn't Enjoy at All
PowerPoint Presentation on Health Products and Food Branch
1__ 2__ 3__ 4__ 5__
Role Plays
1__ 2__ 3__ 4__ 5__
Regulatory Game
1__ 2__ 3__ 4__ 5__
Discussion on youth priorities for health protection
1__ 2__ 3__ 4__ 5__
Discussion on youth involvement and values
1__ 2__ 3__ 4__ 5__
Section II
Please indicate how strongly you agree or disagree with each of the following statements.
Statement
1 = Strongly Agree
2 = Agree
3 = No Opinion
4 = Don't Agree
5 = Strongly Disagree
I did not learn much from this workshop.
1__ 2__ 3__ 4__ 5__
I would enthusiastically recommend this workshop to my friends.
1__ 2__ 3__ 4__ 5__
I could easily explain to my friends what the Health Products and Food Branch does.
1__ 2__ 3__ 4__ 5__
As a result of this workshop, I feel empowered to participate in Health Canada's decision-making processes.
1__ 2__ 3__ 4__ 5__
The facilitators did an excellent job of presenting the workshop material.
1__ 2__ 3__ 4__ 5__
Section III
Please indicate how strongly you agree or disagree with each of the following statements.
Statement
1 = Strongly Agree
2 = Agree
3 = No Opinion
4 = Don't Agree
5 = Strongly Disagree
To the extent possible, youth should be involved in Health Canada's decision-making processes.
1__ 2__ 3__ 4__ 5__
Input from youth will improve program results and strengthen support for regulatory and policy decisions.
1__ 2__ 3__ 4__ 5__
I would participate in future public involvement activities if I knew more about when and how.
1__ 2__ 3__ 4__ 5__
Health Canada listens to the public and factors public input into its policy development and program delivery.
1__ 2__ 3__ 4__ 5__
Health Canada is doing a fine job without the public's input - leave youth alone!
1__ 2__ 3__ 4__ 5__
Section IV
The most important thing I learned at this workshop was:
The part of the workshop which I felt was most useful was:
My suggestions for improvement or changes to future workshops are:
Other comments:
Thank you!
Appendix B - Workshop Program (2.5 hrs)
1. Introduction (5-7 mins.)
- Welcome
- Ground Rules
- Agenda
- Goals/ Expectations
2. PowerPoint Overview (5-7 mins.)
3. Regulatory Game/ Debriefing (16 mins.)
4. Role plays (45 mins.)
5. Break (15 mins.)
6. Prioritizing Exercises (30 mins.)
- Questionnaire
7. Youth Involvement & Values (15 mins.)
8. Closing/ Evaluations (15 mins.)
Appendix C - Description of Role Plays
1. Food Irradiation
Remember the day that they served the reeking, day-old burgers in the school cafeteria and everyone got sick? Those green-cheeked, toilet bowl-clutching students were the unwilling victims of a food-borne illness. They became sick from food contaminated with disease causing organisms. The most likely source of this contamination was food prepared under unsanitary conditions or stored improperly. How do we prevent this from happening? We use technology to ensure good hygiene practices; for example, using clean surfaces and tools to prepare food, adequate cooking times and proper refrigeration. Another food safety tool is food irradiation represented by this symbol on food packaging.
Food irradiation is a technology that has been around for 45 years. Food irradiation involves the treatment of foods with ionizing radiation to reduce bacteria, prevent spoilage and control insects. It was first used in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1950s for the preservation and disinfection of military rations. It has since been applied to the disinfection and preservation of consumer food stuffs.
Food irradiation is regulated under Division (26) within the Food and Drug Regulations and currently is permitted on potatoes, onions, wheat, flour, and spices. Before the irradiation process can be applied to other food products, a thorough review must be conducted by Health Canada to establish the safety of consuming those foods. Requests to irradiate additional food products are submitted by food producers by presenting data showing its safety and effectiveness.
With the growing public awareness about food-borne illness, consumers are demanding greater assurance of the safety of their food. One means of eliminating disease causing organisms could be the use of food irradiation on a wider variety of foods especially those linked to food-borne illness.
Discuss the issue of using and regulating food irradiation technology as one of the following characters.
L. Biskit
Mr. Biskit owns a food company. He wants food irradiation to provide safer, cleaner products for his customers. Food irradiation would give him reduced product spoilage (less waste), increased shelf life and better insect control. These benefits would mean increased profits for his company.
M.J. Blige
Ms. Blige is a mother with two small children. She is concerned about providing safe and nutritious food for her children. Small children are more susceptible to food-borne illness and are more likely to suffer serious health consequences including death. Irradiated foods may offer increased protection from these disease-causing organisms. Because this technology has not been widely used, she is also concerned about the long-term risks of consuming irradiated foods.
N. Furtado
Ms. Furtudo is an organic farmer concerned with the increased use of technology in food production. She believes that only food produced by traditional, natural methods is safe and nutritious. Use of traditional farm practices (i.e., spreading manure on food crops) has been linked to human illness.
D. Usher
Mr. Usher is a government health inspector. He would like to see Canadians have access to safe and nutritious food. More food-borne illness in Canada means more work for him. He is committed to listening to Canadians and ensuring that government policies reflect their attitudes. His role is to note different points of view and try to develop consensus on the issue, being neither an advocate or opponent.
2. Natural Health Products and Food
In Canada, natural health products (NHPs) have been regulated as either foods or drugs. Those that are on the market and which have a Drug Identification Number (DIN) are considered drugs and have been authorized for sale. A DIN indicates that the product has been proven to be safe (when used as directed), effective and of high quality. In other words, a consumer has a greater assurance that what is on the label is in the bottle, and that the health claims associated with the product are accurate. Those without DINs are considered as a food and should not have health claims related to them.
However, many NHPs on the marketplace without DIN numbers are indirectly making claims of great results, many of which seem too good to be true (ex: lose 54 pounds in 6 weeks with no change to diet or exercise regimens).
While some NHPs have enjoyed centuries of safe use, others have been found to be contaminated with fillers such as ground, cement and glass. Still, other NHPs, once tested, have been proven to contain steroids or hormones. Finally, some other NHPs simply do not do what they indirectly claim to do. Due to a lack of regulation specific to NHPs, an ineffective product can sit on a pharmacy shelf side-by-side with an authorized (DIN) product. Therefore, when it comes to purchasing them, it is caviat emptor (buyer beware)!
A local gym is selling "Body Sculptor" (fictional name), a non-authorized (without a DIN) product it has imported via the Internet. One high school student, captain of the football team, frequents the gym and buys the product, touted by the gym as a "totally natural body sculptor." As weeks go by, other members of the team take notice of his improving physique and also buy this product; as do their girlfriends (as the product not only allegedly helps to build muscle but also increases metabolism which leads to weight loss).
Unfortunately, several months later, the captain starts to experience adverse reactions in the form of abdominal cramps, bloody diarrhea, and general weakness. He has been taking the supplement for so long that he does not even think of mentioning the harmless "natural" product he has been taking for the last three months.
D. Halliday - The football captain's family doctor is puzzled by the symptoms presented by this teenager who seemed to be fit and in top shape when he last underwent his annual physical just two months ago. Doc Halliday orders all kinds of tests, including stool samples and suspects a food-borne illness. While awaiting test results, he prescribes an antibiotic.
N. Kratchett - The school nurse is only at the school once a week. She sees two students, one male, one female, who complain of cramps. She advises them to go home and if the symptoms do not ease, to go see their family doctors. The next week, three more students show up with the same symptoms. Nurse Kratchett is concerned enough to inform the local Medical Officer of Health (MOH) of an emerging pattern.
J. Snow - The field epidemiologist in the office of MOH receives case files from two hospitals, Doc Halliday and the school nurse. He is concerned by this emerging trend. He goes to the school armed with a list of names of students that have become ill. He finds a common link to the male the patients - the football team. However, there are also females affected. Therefore, he assumes the symptoms are the result of a surface infection and prepares to test any showers, water fountains, surfaces in the gym, and equipment such as mats, balls, athletic equipment, and other objects in close proximity to the gymnasium.
M.A. Bell - Mother of one of the teenagers. She has been suspicious of her son's sudden weight loss and overall bearing. When questioned, he denied taking steroids but he has been looking buff of late, and, knowing how lazy he is, she suspects that it was not all exercise. Although she believes in privacy, she is very worried about her son who has been in hospital for three days and shows no improvement. She guiltily goes over his room with a fine-tooth comb, but does not find anything. She checks the medicine cabinet for any suspicious drugs, but again comes up empty-handed. As a last resort, she looks into his backpack and finds the "Body Sculptor" capsules. Although she doubts this will yield anything, she brings the pills to the hospital.
Health Canada - J. Snow asks the Department to analyze the contents of the "natural" supplement. Upon careful analysis, the pills are found to contain a combination of steroids, potent diurectics and laxatives. It is known that the particular laxative in this product can strip stomach lining, resulting in the bloody diarrhea, and that the diurectic can lead to dehydration. The Health Products and Food Branch (HPFB) Inspectorate is called and after investigation steps are taken to remove the product off store shelves. An Advisory is prepared warning of the dangers of the product.
Ottawa Citizen - Breaks the story which is picked up across the country. In-depth interviews with some of the teens hit home with students and others that have been using this supplement. Interviews with the Natural Health Products Directorate, coupled with the case-studies bring home the importance of testing products. The new Natural Health Products Regulations are celebrated nationally as an important and necessary initiative that will save the population from these nefarious products. The stories also result in many more people becoming diligent of using products that bear DIN or NHP numbers.
3. ORIA
Health Canada has called a multi-stakeholder meeting to address issues in protecting the environment as it relates to the use of drugs by Canadians. As of September 13, 2001, Health Canada is reviewing all drugs in terms of their impact on the environment before they can enter the Canadian market. Health Canada has invited representatives from the drug manufacturing sector, consumer and environmental sectors, and a scientist to this meeting to identify the priority issues that need to be addressed. Health Canada is hoping that this meeting will highlight steps to address priority issues as agreed to by everybody.
Characters:
Jane P - Jane is a consumer representing E&F Consumer Coalition. Jane has recently completed her Masters in marketing but much of her time is dedicated to the advocacy of consumers. At first glance Jane fears that many of the foods and drugs currently on the market will be removed. Jane is annoyed with the numerous attempts by government to prevent products from entering the Canadian market, especially those that are already sold in the United States. She has therefore attended this meeting to get the facts straight and lobby government.
Derek M - Derek is an environmentalist and represents the H&L environmental coalition group. He feels strongly that the laws be applied to reduce strong toxic chemicals from going into the water, the soil and the air. He knows that toxic chemicals can seriously affect the diversity in the environment and indirectly public health. His mandate is to get immediate action to protect the environment. His coalition is particularly concerned about toxic drugs getting into water and that science does not know what the long-term effects are going to be.
Deborah H - Deborah represents an multi-national company, A&B Pharmaceuticals. Deborah has many questions for HC and would like to learn more about the EAR. A&B pharmaceuticals has just developed a new drug which claims to be the best migraine drug on the market. The drug has been tested in laboratories for several years and other than a few side effects does not cause any harm to humans. A&B hopes to introduce the new drug to the Canadian market in the next few months. However, due to the new regulations, the new drug may not be able to enter the market as expected. While they are not upset, this has caught A&B Pharmaceuticals off guard and they want to meet consumer demand and get the product out on to the market as soon as possible. She also fears that these regulations could affect trade between Canada and other international countries.
Joseph G - Joseph is a lead scientist in the field of studying toxic chemicals in the environment. He is professor at P&G University and leads a million dollar study at his university. He is also a member of an international group of scientists working on the emerging issue of drug chemicals in water. He wants to make certain that the science has the time and money to complete the work and that it be used by others in setting policies and regulations. He knows that their important research has just begun and will attract much international attention.
John H - John is representing Health Canada. John is a policy analyst in charge of its environmental assessment project. He is facilitating this discussion in order to hear about the different issues and works with the group in setting priorities on what the government should do next. John is optimistic that this group will agree on priorities. He is under pressure to deliver an agreed-to solution to his boss after this meeting.
Appendix D - Answer Sheet for the Regulatory Process Game
Identify the problem.
Department identifies key issues, looks at risks and benefits and comes up with possible solutions.
Seeks and responds to public input.
Department develops 1st draft of a new regulation.
Seeks and responds to public input.
Deputy Minister approves final draft regulations.
1st "Blue Stamp" of approval by Department of Justice.
Cabinet approves final draft regulations.
Draft regulations published in Canada Gazette, Part 1 for public input.
Revisions made to final draft in response to public input.
Final draft regulations get submitted to Department of Justice for 2nd "Blue Stamp" of approval.
Cabinet approves final regulations.
Final regulations published in Canada Gazette Part 2.
Appendix E - Checklist of Issues
Want more Information?
The Health Products and Food Branch wants to know what issues young people are interested in and/or want to get involved in. Please review the list of issues identified below and indicate your level of interest in each by assigning one of the following codes:
A "I'm interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decisions related to it."
B "I'm interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so I don't need to be involved."
C "I'm interested in this issue and think more information about it should be made available to the public."
D "I don't really care about this issue."
About veterinary drugs? A B C D
1. Approval procedures for veterinary drugs used to treat food-
producing animals.
2. Research on resistance to drugs that fight bacteria and disease.
3. Farm management practices and their input on the environment.
4. Testing and regulation of veterinary drug residues in food and meat.
About pharmaceutical drugs and medical devices?
5. Approval procedures for prescription and over-the-counter drugs.
6. Testing of regulations for medical devices (e.g. contraceptive devices,
breast implants, pacemakers, medical equipment and instruments).
7. Concerns related to low-risk products such as sun screens, antiperspirants,
toothpaste.
8. The impact of globalization on the pharmaceutical industry.
9. Ethical issues in clinical trials (e.g., drug research in humans).
10. Issues related to making drugs available for compassionate reasons.
11. Issues related to direct advertising of prescription drugs.
About biologics and genetic therapies?
12. Organ and issue donation in Canada.
13. The safety of Canada's blood supply.
14. Access to safe and effective drugs and therapies.
About Nutrition?
15. Issues in nutrition and healthy eating.
16. Issues related to nutrition in pregnancy.
17. Guidelines and standards on nutrition.
18. The role of nutrition in diabetes prevention and management.
19. Guidelines on health weights.
20. Progress on dietary reference intakes.
21. Educational initiatives on nutrition labeling.
22. Initiatives related to Vitality (program addressing health eating,
active living and positive self-esteem).
About food?
23. Regulations on food labeling.
24. Recent initiatives on food-borne illness.
25. Issues related to genetically-modified food.
26. Nutritional quality and safety.
27. The health impact of food allergens.
28. Identifying and reducing chemical contaminants in food.
29. Protecting Canadians from Mad Cow Disease.
30. Food irradiation as a safety tool.
31. Issues related to seafood toxins.
32. New findings on food additives.
33. The role of food packaging materials in food safety.
About natural health products?
34. The impact of chemicals in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and other
personal care products on the environment.
35. Links between traces of chemicals in food and other products
and human health.
36. Trade offs between "progress" and "protecting the environment".
37. The importance of Canada considering other international regulations
in making its own.
About natural health products?
38. Integrations between drugs and natural health products.
39. Labeling of natural health products.
40. How to ensure the safety and efficacy of products.
41. Good manufacturing practices - what they are and how to maintain them.
42. Issues related to reporting on adverse reactions to products.
43. Ensuring consumers have the information they need to make informed
choices.
44. Current and emerging research areas.
More Generally.
45. How to "package" scientific findings on health issues for the public.
46. The role of the consumer and public activists.
47. How citizens can work with regulators and law-makers.
48. How Canadian youth can be heard.
Thank you very much for your input.
Appendix F - Checklist of Issues Results
Demographics
Number of youth surveys returned : 51
Number of invalid surveys: 1
Average age 18.5
Age range 15 to 20
Gender: 32% Male, 68% Female
Section 1 - Veterinary Drugs
1.1 Approval procedures for veterinary drugs used to treat food-producing animals
6% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
44% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
44% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
6% don't really care about this issue.
1.2 Research on resistance to drugs that fight bacteria and disease
32% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
46% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
20% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
2% don't really care about this issue.
1.3 Farm management practices and their impact on the environment
20% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
52% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
28% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
0% don't really care about this issue
1.4 Testing and regulation of veterinary drug residues in food and meat
8% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
42% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
46% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
4% don't really care about this issue.
Section 2 - About Pharmaceutical Drugs and Medical Devices
2.1 Approval procedures for prescription and over the counter drugs
28% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
44% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
28% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
0% don't really care about this issue.
2.2 Testing and regulations for medical devices (e.g.: contraceptive devices, breast implants, pacemakers, medical equipment and instruments)
32% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
36% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
28% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
2% don't really care about this issue
2% no answer
2.3 Concerns related to low-risk products such as sunscreen, antiperspirants and toothpaste
12% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
42% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
38% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
8% don't really care about this issue
2.4 The impact of globalization on the pharmaceutical industry
28% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
36% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
24% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
12% don't really care about this issue.
2.5 Ethical issues in clinical trials (e.g.: drug research in humans)
50% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
24% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
26% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
0% don't really care about this issue.
2.6 Issues related to making drugs available for compassionate reasons
46% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
22% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
24% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
08% don't really care about this issue.
2.7 Issues related to direct advertising of prescription drugs
30% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
34% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
26% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
10% don't really care about this issue.
Section 3 About Biologics and Genetic Therapies
3.1 Organ and tissue donation in Canada
40% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
26% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
30% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
04% don't really care about this issue.
3.2 The safety of Canada's blood supply
46% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
24% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
30% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
00% don't really care about this issue.
3.3 Access to safe and effective drugs and therapies
40% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
28% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
30% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
02% don't really care about this issue.
Section 4 About Nutrition
4.1 Issues in nutrition and healthy eating
26% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
30% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
40% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
04% don't really care about this issue.
4.2 Issues related to nutrition and pregnancy
20% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
34% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
42% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
04% don't really care about this issue.
4.3 Guidelines and standards on nutrition
14% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
46% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
34% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
04% don't really care about this issue.
02% no answer
4.4 The role of nutrition in diabetes prevention and management
22% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
34% re interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
40% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
02% don't really care about this issue.
02% no answer
4.5 Guidelines on healthy weights
24% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
28% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
46% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
02% don't really care about this issue.
4.6 Progress on dietary reference intakes
20% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
38% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
34% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
06% don't really care about this issue.
02% no answer
4.7 Educational initiatives on nutritional labelling
18% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
30% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
48% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
02% don't really care about this issue.
02% no answer
4.8 Initiatives related to Vitality (program addressing healthy eating, active living and positive self-esteem)
30% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
34% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
34% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
02% don't really care about this issue.
Section 5 About Food
5.1 Regulations on food labelling
36% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
32% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
30% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
02% don't really care about this issue.
5.2 Recent initiatives on food-borne illness
18% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
20% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
56% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
06% don't really care about this issue.
5.3 Issues related to genetically-modified food
34% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
12% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
50% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
04% don't really care about this issue.
5.4 Nutritional quality and safety
26% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
32% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
40% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
04% don't really care about this issue.
02% no answer
5.5 The health impact of food allergens
18% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
32% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
50% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
00% don't really care about this issue.
5.6 Identifying and reducing chemical contaminants in food
18% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
32% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
50% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
00% don't really care about this issue.
5.7 Protecting Canadians from Mad Cow disease
16% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
40% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
40% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
04% don't really care about this issue.
5.8 Food irradiation as a safety tool
10% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
32% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
50% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
08% don't really care about this issue.
5.9 Issues related to seafood toxins
06% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
38% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
50% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
06% don't really care about this issue.
5.10 New findings on additives
10% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
34% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
50% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
06% don't really care about this issue.
.11 The role of food packaging materials in food safety
16% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
40% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
38% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
06% don't really care about this issue.
Section 6 About Regulatory and International Issues
6.1 The impact of chemicals in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and other personal care products on the environment
24% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
30% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
40% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
06% don't really care about this issue.
6.2 Links between traces of chemicals in food and other products and human health
26% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
30% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
40% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
04% don't really care about this issue.
6.3 Trade offs between "progress" and "protecting the environment"
28% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
36% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
32% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
04% don't really care about this issue.
6.4 The importance of Canada considering other international regulations in making it's own
30% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
40% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
24% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
06% don't really care about this issue.
Section 7 About Natural Health Products
7.1 Interactions between drugs and natural health products
20% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
30% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
42% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
08% don't really care about this issue.
7.2 Labelling of natural health products
28% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
32% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
36% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
04% don't really care about this issue.
7.3 How to ensure the safety and efficacy of products
20% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
44% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
32% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
04% don't really care about this issue.
7.4 Good manufacturing practices-what they are and how to maintain them
20% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
46% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
28% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
06% don't really care about this issue.
7.5 Issues related to reporting on adverse reactions to products
22% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
30% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
42% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
03% don't really care about this issue.
7.6 Ensuring consumers have the information they need to make informed choices
20% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
28% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
46% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
03% don't really care about this issue.
7.7 Current and emerging research areas
21% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
33% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
40% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
06% don't really care about this issue.
Section 8 More Generally
8.1 How to "package" scientific findings on health issues for the public
20% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
26% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
38% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
14% don't really care about this issue.
8.2 The role of the consumer and public activists
20% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
30% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
38% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
12% don't really care about this issue.
8.3 How citizens can work with regulations and law makers
32% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
30% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
30% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
08% don't really care about this issue.
8.4 How Canadian youth can be heard
52% are interested in this issue and would like to be involved in any decision related to it.
14% are interested in this issue but trust that Health Canada is doing its job so didn't feel the need to be involved.
30% are interested in this issue and think that more information on this issue should be made available to the public.
04% don't really care about this issue.
1 The development of the Centres of Excellence for Children's Well-Being is part of the federal government''s contribution to the National Children's Agenda. The Centres, announced in the September 1997 Speech from the Throne, will contribute to federal leadership in knowledge generation and dissemination on children's issues.
Over a five-year time frame, the Centres of Excellence will carry out five main functions:
- collect and analyze information and data on children's health and well-being;
- conduct focused research on key child health and development issues;
- provide policy advice to governments and health and social services organizations;
- generate information and communicate it to a wide range of audiences; and
- strengthen and expand local, national, and international networks of individuals and groups involved in children's health and well-being.
2 Statistics Canada, 2001.
3 Centre of Excellence on Youth Engagement. http://www.tgmag.ca/centres/index-eng.php
4 Speech delivered by Stoney McCart, Executive Director, Centre of Excellence on Youth Engagement at annual meeting of Centres of Excellence for Children's Wellbeing, November 23, 2001. http://www.tgmag.ca/centres/index-eng.php
5 Listening to Canadians: Focus on Young Adults, Communication Canada, January 23, 2002 (page 4).
