Thank you, Annie.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and honorary members as well.

As a demonstration of our commitment to work with Canadians to solve problems that result in optimized outcomes, for the past three years we have been working with an indigenous-led health policy group to develop an indigenous health policy framework. I should say that one of you has participated in this endeavour. A number of you have been briefed about the work we're doing with the indigenous population.

This indigenous-led, indigenous-informed framework will guide, again, the principled approach that Boehringer will engage in with indigenous communities in partnerships in health system solutions, which are, as Annie mentioned, pharmaceutically agnostic. That is the mandate of the family. That again demonstrates our commitment.

Our mission compels us to invest deeply in research and innovation to bring some of the most advanced therapeutics and medicines to Canadians. The latest regulations would jeopardize our ability to continue funding these innovative projects and research.

Boehringer Ingelheim supports a sustainable health care system in Canada and invests heavily in R and D. We expect to bring new medications to market, and Canadians benefit from early access to life-changing medications through clinical trials, and thereafter, as a prioritized country seeking regulatory review and the launch of new drugs.

However, the model that has enabled us to serve our patients for over a century is threatened by the final guidelines issued by PMPRB. Simply put, we believe the guidelines will ultimately discourage or significantly delay the introduction of new, life-saving medicines and investments in research and development, and delay performing clinical trials in Canada and the prioritization of Canada as a market to launch new medicines.

This point cannot be ignored. The intent of the PMPRB will not matter if it ultimately creates fewer innovative medicines and treatments, fewer clinical trials, fewer innovative health care system change partnerships and less access for Canadians. Intention needs to be met with well-considered, well-developed policy, and that is not where the PMPRB has currently landed with its guidelines.

One of the central principles of the life sciences industry is a predictable process by which patentees can access the market for a drug, invest in research and innovation, and bring it forward for approval to be given to the patients who need it the most. The guidelines bring the PMPRB outside of its original intent as a patent abuse regulator and represent a substantial incursion into an exclusive provincial jurisdiction, namely price control. This process will undermine activities exercised by the provinces that today include input from patients and experts. PMPRB will create significant uncertainty for any company considering investing time and resources in bringing forward innovative medicines.

In keeping with the time, we urge the committee and the federal government to reconsider these guidelines and the regulations that underpin them. The current guidelines are creating uncertainty and will create unintended consequences on business viability and, therefore, access to life-saving drugs for patients.

Once again, Mr. Chair, honorary members, thank you for the opportunity to present and provide the briefing from Boehringer Ingelheim's perspective. We look forward to discussing this important topic, which will shape the future of health care in Canada.

Thank you.

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