Provincial Health Officer Bonnie Henry is promising to release a commissioned report looking into the economics of safe supply.
B次元官网网址淯nder the independent authority of my office, I commissioned a research paper looking at some of the societal impacts of pharmaceutical alternatives (safe supply),B次元官网网址� she said in a statement shared with media. B次元官网网址淭his included an economic analysis to help guide appropriate monitoring of the impacts of a safe supply program B次元官网网址� a research paper prepared by Dr. (Jonathan) Caulkins.B次元官网网址�
The paper itself is part of HenryB次元官网网址檚 larger review of the safe supply program announced in February.
B次元官网网址淥ur next report on pharmaceutical alternatives (safer supply) programs will be available next month,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淲e plan to make it public once complete and once my office has had an opportunity to brief the government. As usual, all research related to this work will also be publicly available.B次元官网网址�
HenryB次元官网网址檚 statement said that CaulkinsB次元官网网址� report is just one aspect of the review.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 important that the economics of the drug market are taken into consideration as we investigate further, such as monitoring the price paid at various levels and purity of illegal drugs to understand how B.C.B次元官网网址檚 situation might align with or differ from scenarios described in the report,B次元官网网址� she said.
Henry said that CaulkinsB次元官网网址� research is not B次元官网网址渁n assessment or evaluationB次元官网网址� of B.C.B次元官网网址檚 approach to safer supply.
B次元官网网址淭he paper represents the views and observations of the author,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚t does not represent the views or positions of the Office of the Provincial Health Officer.B次元官网网址�
Henry said her office is also working with other experts in the field including the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research based at the University of Victoria. B次元官网网址淭hey have provided a literature review so we have a comprehensive understanding of whatB次元官网网址檚 happening globally on this issue,B次元官网网址� she said.
Caulkins comes highly credentialed. He holds a doctorate in Operations Research from MIT and teaches at Carnegie Mellon University in the United States, where he B次元官网网址渟pecializes in systems analysis of problems pertaining to drugs, crime, terror, violence and prevention,B次元官网网址� according to his biography.
Caulkins has co-authored several books, published a long list of peer-reviewed academic articles and has appeared frequently in media on both side of the U.S.-Canada border, either as a commentator or as an author himself.
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CaulkinsB次元官网网址� paper has been the source of much speculation during the last 24 hours in the provincial legislature after B.C. United had mentioned it during MondayB次元官网网址檚 Question Period, first describing it inaccurately as a B次元官网网址渟ecret memoB次元官网网址� commissioned by the PremierB次元官网网址檚 Office.
Addictions Minister Jennifer Whiteside said Monday during Question Period she was unaware of the report, but told reporters Tuesday morning that Henry had comissioned it. Speaking at an unrelated event in Abbotsford Tuesday morning, Eby said he first heard of CaulkinsB次元官网网址� name during Question Period.
B次元官网网址淲e followed up and learnt that Dr. Henry had commissioned a paper from this individual as part of a larger piece of work that she continues to do on the toxic drug crisis, hearing from all different perspectives about the best path forward for British Columbia,B次元官网网址� he said.
Eby said this work falls within HenryB次元官网网址檚 role as independent public health officer, but added that there B次元官网网址渙ccasionally moments of frustration like yesterday when the officer is doing work that we are not aware of.B次元官网网址�
Health Minister Adrian Dix Tuesday chided the opposition for misrepresenting the report and said the public knew that Henry was going to do an at-large-review of the safe supply program. He also confirmed in Question Period that the report would be available. He said that himself has not seen the report, but added that he is familiar with CaulkinsB次元官网网址� work.
B.C.B次元官网网址檚 United Elenore Sturko called for full transparency given the various issues around decriminalization and the diversion of safe supply as reported by two senior B.C. police officers.
B次元官网网址淚 think itB次元官网网址檚 incredibly important for that information to be transparent for the public,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淲e are at a time where our province is at a critical momentB次元官网网址nd frankly, I think it is a failure of leadership that the ministers and the premier did not know about this report.B次元官网网址�
