To paraphrase a quotation from Hamlet, ‘Something is rotten in the state of Canada.’ Timothy Moorley is just one case whereby a Canadian citizen is refused medical treatment because he has the audacity to complain about the way he has been treated. Obviously freedom of speech is not welcomed in that particular country.

It has been known by many for a number of years that the large corporations have an undue influence on the deliberations and decisions made the FDA of the USA, such as the refusal of that body to legalize stevia as sweetener under pressure from the sugar companies, and its refusal to rubber stamp the use of many natural remedies because they could threaten sales of chemical pharmaceuticals.

However, it was assumed that this form of pressure was restricted to the USA, but we were wrong. Canada also appears to be under the influence of large Pharma businesses, Pfizer being one in particular. According to Timothy Moorley, his life-threatening condition (hole in the heart) was a result of him using Celebrex, a Pfizer NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) and COX-2 inhibitor used to treat inflammatory conditions such as arthritis.



 Celebrex is known to increase the risk of heart disease, a fact recognized by the FDA, yet it is still on sale. Mr. Moorley claimed that Celebrex was the cause of his condition, and also claims that both his medical records and the results of diagnostic tests carried out in Canada were falsified by Pfizer and Canadian doctors. Because of this he has been denied any medical care in his country.

Irrespective of this claim, no citizen of any country should be refused medical care, particularly in a developed (?) country such as Canada.  This is particularly appalling in view of the fact that independent tests carried out in the USA have confirmed his condition and his claims have not been legally proved false.

This very ill man has been refused medical care for a condition that could kill him if left untreated, so what is going on in Canada? He was directed by his Provincial Government to attend a cardiologist, but none would see him. In fact, each cardiologist he approached informed him that they had been instructed not to examine him.

He cannot even find a Canadian doctor with the guts to go against the establishment and offer evidence of his condition in court, so is unable to legal action to press his claim against Pfizer. How democratic is that? Don’t Canadians have similar rights to Americans then?

Timothy Moorley has also suggested that many Canadian citizens who use Celebrex may be suffering his condition but are unaware of it, so it would appear sensible for him to be examined openly, and for the results to be made publicly.  If it seems possible that his usage of Celebrex may have contributed to this condition, then this should be taken seriously since it is a widely used drug marketed by Pfizer.

The question has to be asked why Pfizer themselves do not commission an investigation into the safety of this drug.  Surely they want the find out the truth, and if not then why not?  If so, then why has it not been done? Why have the FDA permitted its sale on condition that it displays a warning regarding its danger to cardiac health? These are questions that should be answered.

Why is this drug still being sold, when similar drugs Vioxx and Bextra have been
withdrawn from the market by Merck and Pfizer respectively? Why has Timothy Moorley been refused treatment, and even a medical examination, in his own country at a time that an increasing number of lawsuits are being filed against Pfizer for cardiac problems associated with Celebrex?

The question is not whether or not Timothy Moorley is correct in his allegations, but why has he been refused medical help for his condition, and why do the medical authorities of Canada not allow Mr. Moorley to receive medical treatment for what can be a fatal condition?  This seems like a denial of human rights more in line with third world countries than a so-called civilized country such as Canada.

If he is wrong then prove him wrong – do not simply deny the fact and refuse him the treatment to which he is entitled as a citizen of his country. All he wants is a fair hearing for his case to which any citizen of any country should be entitled (but apparently not in Canada.) The fact that the FDA believes the product to be potentially dangerous to the heart is sufficient to warrant further investigation into this situation.

There is another worrying aspect of the Canadian medical system. The Therapeutic Initiative of British Columbia is a prestigious agency with a great reputation that has been receiving government funding for 14 years to provide independent advice on prescription drugs. It has been very effective in doing so and is believed to have saved the lives of many people by offering warnings regarding medications it believes to be unsafe, and has saved millions for the B.C. provincial government drug plan by recommending generic drugs rather than those branded medicines offered by the major pharmaceutical companies.

Surprise, surprise! Health Minister George Abbott drew up his own drugs panel, and on it sits three members that work for pharmaceutical companies. Hardly an impartial group! But it gets worse: the panel’s recommendation was to disband the Therapeutics Initiative and replace it with another group chosen by the minister and not by the academics as previously. That was announced to a group chosen by the minister, comprising 37 representatives of pharmaceutical companies or drugs retail outlets among a total of 52 invited.

So it would appear that the net result will be a new body controlled by drugs companies to determine the safety of their own products and decide whether it would better for the consumer to be recommended generic drugs rather than those they manufacture or market themselves!

Taking that into consideration along with the treatment and plight of Timothy Moorley, than the situation stinks: something is definitely rotten in the state of Canada!