REMARKS BY
HON. DR. HUBERT A. MINNIS,
MP FOR KILLARNEY AND LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION
HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY CONTRIBUTION
STEM CELL RESEARCH AND THERAPY BILL, 2013
July 3rd, 2013
Nassau, The Bahamas
Mr. Speaker,
I rise to make my contribution on the Stem Cell Research and Therapy Bill tabled today.
First and foremost, I state that I am a trained medical doctor. I am by general disposition a scientific and results driven individual. I have always harboured a fierce commitment and focus on improving the healthcare in The Bahamas at large.
Naturally, I am a supporter of medical research and development; without it we would still be practicing medieval medicine treating hemorrhoids with hot irons, advising pregnant women to prepare for their deaths at childbirth and treating just about every other ailment with bloodletting. So I am not automatically opposed to the idea of stem cell research and therapies.
In developed countries like the USA and Canada but also in the Middle East and in Thailand, following years of discussion and debate including moral and ethical issues connected to stem cell research, some levels of stem cell research and therapy have been authorized and even supported by Governments.
Mr. Speaker,
For many sound reasons I do not believe that the Bahamas ought to be involved in stem cell research at this time.
The Bahamas has yet to achieve ideal primary health care services for its citizens where they live whether in New Providence, Grand Bahama or any of our Family Islands. We have only recently updated emergency and operating theatres in Grand Bahama, the critical care unit at the PMH is still under construction – we have no information that the facility will be adequately staffed following the discontinued employment of persons trained under the 52 Week Jobs and Skills Training Programme and the paucity of money in the budget for training for specialists nurses and technicians.
We have only now begun to build small hospitals on Exuma and Abaco. It is my hope that plans by the last FNM Government to expand the number of small hospitals to other populous islands – Eleuthera, Long Island, and Andros for example will not be shelved.
Our advance toward full national health insurance is stuck somewhere in a working group, committee or commission of this Government. The Member for Centreville recently told the press that the lack of progress on the national health Act was my fault.
I wish to remind Honourable Members that when the Member for Centreville last led the government between 2002 and 2007 he saw to it that a National Health Act was enacted in the closing months of his term. The FNM Government won the election in 2007. We did not bring the National Insurance Act into force because the healthcare system of the country was not in condition to support a true national health insurance programme. But we did nothing to the Bill. Separately, we put in place the Prescription Drug Programme.
In the 2012 general election campaign, the members opposite assured the Bahamian people that the National Insurance Act would be brought into effect within the first year of their election to office. They won the election. Now, 14 months after coming to office he has failed to do anything to bring the Act into effect. Instead the Minister of Health has advised that the programme is being reviewed by a Committee — and it’s my fault? Please Mr. Speaker, when will the Government accept responsibility for being the Government?
Mr. Speaker,
We can hardly hope that the Prescription Drug programme will be expanded by this Government to bring increased relief to the neediest in our society – the elderly, infirmed and children; those who are forced sometimes to choose between buying food and buying medicine; paying their electricity bills or buying medicine; or paying the rent or the mortgage and buying medicine.
Indeed, Mr. Speaker, we are plagued by many healthcare issues- an epidemic in non-contagious diseases, public health issues, and medical staff shortages particularly in our southernmost Family Islands.
And, we are being severely challenged by other social, financial and economic issues that all require the timely, focused attention of the Government.
How so challenged a small Government can expect to develop the necessary legislation and regulatory oversight for some of the most advanced medical scientific research taking place today boggles the mind.
Stem cell research and therapy, if it is to be safe, ethical and respected by the international medical profession, must meet international standards and protocols, be open to independent scrutiny and found to be safe. This requires that the country hosting the research must have enforceable laws and be capable of providing the necessary monitoring by recognized specialists in this subspecialty field.
Mr. Speaker,
I do not understand the rush by the Government to bring this Bill to Parliament to regulate a medical research field in which we have no expertise. I understand that there are interested parties who are encouraging the Government in this adventure.
It is urgent that I ask a very fundamental question. Why are medical scientists seeking to conduct such sophisticated research in a country without any capacity for such research? Have they been refused licences in their home countries? Other countries?
Where will the research take place?
Will this highly skilled sub-specialty employ Bahamians?
How many work permits will be issued to employ said specialists? Mr. Speaker, how many will be employed?
How many Bahamians will benefit from this research today, in the next 5years, 15 years?
Will this research provide a cure to any of our health care needs, our social ills or economic problems?
Does the Government expect that this research will produce a new tax stream for the Bahamas? And if so, how?
I hardly believe that we can expect short or medium term financial gains?
So, why the rush to Parliament?
It seems to me, Mr. Speaker that this Government has a greater obligation to fulfill its numerous promises to the Bahamian people than to dream up a scheme to become engaged in the monitoring and regulation of advanced scientific and medical research for which we have neither expertise or experience.
Mr. Speaker,
Already some of the United Kingdom’s leading stem cell experts have issued international warnings concerning “unproven therapy”, patient optimism and predatory clinicians. They further warn that in spite of the evidence of lack of success of cell stem therapies, many patients, as last resort search for a cure and life, continue to present themselves at poorly or unregulated institutions that present themselves as being front runners in the new frontier of stem cell tourism.
They further stated; that these unregulated and poorly regulated institutions hurt the legitimacy of the entire field of stem cell medical science and even go as far as to suggest that parents who allow their children to receive stem cell therapy in these centers should be charged with child abuse.
Surely, we in The Bahamas would fall somewhere within the category of” poorly regulated”. Let us admit, we cannot even enforce our seat belt laws; we do not energetically enforce our traffic laws or vigorously pursue violators. Indeed, many of our laws are observed in the breach. This can hardly be what a concerned government would seek for its country’s medical reputation!
Mr. Speaker,
In 2008, the Multiple Sclerosis Society warned sufferers of the condition not to be taken in by “Integrated Biosciences”, a company registered in Turks and Caicos Islands because there was no scientific backing for their claims and research. Is this what we want for The Bahamas?
Warnings such as this; can have backlash on our established healthcare system with serious consequences for our tourism industry. It is a fact that tourist, particularly those we seek to attract – high-end, long stay tourist, search for destinations with proper infrastructure including safe healthcare facilities
We do not want to become safe harbour for rogue or on–the-run Dr. Jeckels. We may be perilously close Mr. Speaker. The media reports that the past Chairman of the Bahamas stem cell task force is currently awaiting extradition to Canada from Central America.
To continue reading this article please visit the original article in: Bahamas Press
