‘I am on it’: Health minister accelerates audit of vaccine injury program
Global News
"I cannot add any comment more for now, but I am on it," Health Minister Marjorie Michel stated when a reporter pressed for more information about the accelerated audit.
The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is expediting its audit of the company that oversees the troubled Vaccine Injury Support Program (VISP) and has asked agency staffers to recommend new ways of delivering the services to ailing Canadians.
“PHAC is currently accelerating its audit of Oxaro and Oxaro’s management of the Vaccine Injury Support Program, and the Agency will provide recommendations on alternative delivery models for the program,” said Emilie Gauduchon-Campbell, a senior communications adviser responsible for issues management in the health minister’s office.
Gauduchon-Campbell revealed those developments in an email this week following the broadcast and publication of a three-part investigation Global News investigation into VISP in July.
“All options are on the table as we make sure that taxpayer dollars are being spent appropriately, and that the money is being spent on supporting Canadians who have been injured,” she added.
Asked about the sped-up scrutiny at a news conference in Fredericton Tuesday, Health Minister Michel told reporters: “I cannot add any comment more for now, but I am on it.”
The audit’s previous deadline was not disclosed and the minister’s spokeswoman declined to disclose the revised deadline.
“PHAC’s audit of OXARO’s work is part of normal practice and understood from the outset of any program as a condition of the contribution agreement. However, PHAC has accelerated its response based on its initial analysis of the program and the direction from Minister Michel to find a solution that resolved the identified problems,” Gauduchon-Campbell added in a second statement last night.
Neither the minister nor her staff would elaborate on what they mean by “alternative delivery models.” Those could include the government taking back administration of the program itself or hiring a new private company to serve as administrator to handle vaccine injury claims.
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