Senator Mégie: Thank you for that information. However, I also wanted to remind you that the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology conducted a study on artificial intelligence a few years ago. Representatives of the Canadian Association of Radiologists spoke about the need for artificial intelligence for both operations and diagnostics to help radiologists triage urgent cases and identify common results by automating the standard measures and reporting models.

Does the federal government plan to increase the percentage of health care funding allocated to the innovative project that links artificial intelligence and health research through investments in the Canadian institutes of health research specific to artificial intelligence?

Hon. Marie-Françoise Mégie: Honourable senators, my question is for the Government Representative in the Senate.

Senator Gold, the day before yesterday, parliamentarians had the opportunity to meet representatives from the Canadian Association of Radiologists. The association wanted to raise the alarm about the seriously antiquated medical imaging equipment in Canada and the need for strategic investment to improve access to medical imaging and, consequently, foster better patient outcomes.

According to the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health, the number of CT scan and MRI machines per capita is significantly lower than in OECD countries. In fact, Canada significantly lags behind international standards in this area.

Will the Government of Canada listen to this call for urgent intervention and commit to collaborating with the provincial and territorial governments to ensure that targeted investments in health are allocated to improving medical imaging services?

Senator Mégie: Although you said that the government is working very hard on this matter, Canada is one of the few remaining countries in the World Trade Organization that have not explicitly stated their position on temporarily suspending the rules. Nearly all developing countries, France and the United States have already supported this initiative. If the suspension is to be effective, Canada must insist that there be a concurrent transfer of know-how and equipment to developing countries. Many countries would be able to produce vaccines if they were free to do so and could rely on our support. Does the federal government plan to support this suspension? It will not work without that support.

Hon. Marie-Françoise Mégie: My question is for the Government Representative in the Senate.

Professors Gold, Liu and Morin, from McGill and Laval universities, issued the following statement in Le Devoir on December 11, 2021:

Taxpayers in wealthy countries have largely funded the development of new vaccines through public research, subsidies and purchase commitments. These same taxpayers can legitimately insist that developing countries have access to the vaccines as well.

The professors proposed that we amend Canada’s Access to Medicines Regime, or CAMR, to include vaccines, tests and other pharmaceutical products needed to combat COVID-19.

The CAMR makes it possible for less expensive drugs and medical devices to be produced and exported to developing countries in a health emergency, without waiting for authorization from patent holders.

Does our government plan to amend the CAMR to respond favourably to these requests to expand the list of medical products and create the right conditions for ending this pandemic?