Mind the Gap: Strengthening Canada’s health security partnerships

On Thursday, August 22, 2024 at 1:00 pm ET, join the Public Policy Forum (PPF) for a virtual discussion on how Canada can close its health security gaps. We’ll be joined by the co-chairs of the Life Sciences Forum Mark Lievonen, Principal, JML Advisory Services and Canada’s COVID-19 Task Force and Dr. Ilse Treurnicht, PPF Board Chair and Partner at Twin River North South Ventures. The discussion will be moderated by Marta Morgan, PPF Special Advisor to the President.

Responding to COVID-19 necessitated rapid collaboration across governments, the life sciences sector, academic institutions, and researchers. The result of these partnerships was the swift development and distribution of vaccines and the establishment of essential supply chains for vaccines, therapeutics, and other essential life sciences products.

A new report from the Public Policy Forum, “Exposed: How Canada can close its health security caps” argues the focus must now be on achieving three specific milestones to maintain the momentum built to date:

1. create the Canada Health Security Agency (CHSA) as an independent national agency to oversee health security and pandemic preparedness;
2. develop and manage supply chains, shifting the procurement approach from “just in time” to “just in case.”; and
3. strengthen Canada’s life sciences sector to be better able to respond to health emergencies and contribute to economic growth.