Subject : In response to your letter addressed to the Minister of Health / 07-001907 db
Date : Wed, 18 Apr 2007 07:21:00 -0400
Linked to : Tony Clement
From : CST <cst@hc-sc.gc.ca>
To : <danpage@planetoxygen.ca>


Dear Mr. Pagé,

Thank you for your correspondence of February 16, 2007, in
which you request a meeting to discuss access to hyperbaric therapy.

Unfortunately, I am unable to meet with you. However, I have
taken the liberty of forwarding your correspondence to Departmental
officials for their information.

Health Canada's mandate is to protect the health and well being
of the Canadian public. Presently, there have not been any clinical trials
conducted regarding hyperbaric therapy and autism. A collection of case
studies cannot be utilized to justify national policy. Over the years, the
Department has received several reports from concerned parents and patients
inquiring whether the chambers that are utilized in Canada are safe and
effective. The chambers you mention in your correspondence are all
unlicensed and in many cases, are being utilized for off-label indications.
Therefore, they contravene the Medical Devices Regulations, and are
considered illegal in Canada.

Should you wish to discuss this issue further, I invite you to
contact Dr. Roland Rotter, Director, Medical Devices Bureau, Health
Products and Food Branch, Health Canada, at 613-957-4786.

Thank you for writing, and please accept my best wishes.

Yours sincerely,

Tony Clement