Plain Language Labelling Event - Speaking Notes - the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq Minister of Health

Friday, June 14, 2013
Toronto, ON

Check Against Delivery

Good morning.

I want to begin by thanking Bernard Trottier, Member of Parliament for Etobicoke-Lakeshore, for joining me today.

I also want to thank Terence Young, Member of Parliament for Oakville, who's here with us this morning. Terence has been a passionate and long-time advocate for drug safety and will share some personal remarks in a few moments.

When it comes to drug safety our Government is always striving for excellence. That's because millions of Canadians rely on prescription and over-the-counter drugs to maintain and improve their health.

I'm very proud of Canada's track record around drug safety. The reality is that we have one of the best drug safety systems in the world.  

Canadians are fortunate to have access to safe medications that help treat a wide variety of illnesses and diseases. But these same medications are also dangerous when they're not taken properly.

In this regard, we know we can do better which is why I'm pleased to launch the Plain Language Labelling Initiative. This initiative will improve drug safety by making labels and safety information easier to read and understand.

Historically, information on drug product labels has been technical and confusing.

Unfortunately, sometimes this results in people misjudging the amount of medicine they should take. In some cases, people may take too much and suffer harmful side effects.

Confusing, technical drug labels can also lead to overdoses or other complications. In fact, as many as one in nine emergency rooms visits are related to adverse drug events. Two-thirdsof these visits could be prevented.

That's why drug labels and packaging needs to be made with the consumer in mind.

Going forward, drug labels and safety instructions must be written in plain language. And by "plain language" I mean easier to read, fewer technical terms and understandable to the average Canadian.

Labels and packages should make it clear how often medications should be taken, when it should be taken and when it should not be taken.

The goal of the initiative is to reduce the number of preventable mistakes linked to medications. I'm confident patients will immediately benefit from this work. I'm also confident this initiative will be supported by health professionals who will see better patient outcomes on the front lines.

Our Government remains committed to improving the health of Canadians. We will continue to work to improve Canada's drug regulations because, in the end, we all benefit when there's a world class drug safety system supporting our health.

Thank you.