Letters to the Editor: Perspectives on Medicine Access, Corporate Profits, and Foreign Policy

By the Editorial Team · Friday, July 10, 2026

Canadian experts and commentators have engaged in debates over patient access to experimental cancer drugs, the broader social responsibilities of corporations beyond profit, and the complexities of Canada’s diplomatic ties with Saudi Arabia following historical conflicts. These discussions underscore ongoing challenges in balancing healthcare innovation, corporate ethics, and foreign policy decisions that impact national values and international relations.

A series of recent letters to the editor reflect ongoing debates in Canada concerning access to experimental medicines, corporate responsibility, and foreign policy with Saudi Arabia.

On the issue of access to unapproved cancer treatments, one letter draws parallels to the activism during the 1980s AIDS crisis. Philip Berger, a Toronto-based oncologist, argues that patients facing terminal illnesses should have the right to decide whether to take risks to access potentially life-extending drugs. He points to the historical example when AIDS activists and physicians protested pharmaceutical companies and health institutions, ultimately prompting the creation of Canada’s Emergency Drug Release Program. Berger suggests that the current federal Special Access Program for medications should collaborate with physicians and patients to urge U.S. pharmaceutical companies to release unapproved drugs compassionately to those with severe conditions such as pancreatic cancer.

In response to a discussion about corporate priorities, Coro Strandberg, chair and co-founder of the Canadian Purpose Economy Project, challenges the notion that companies exist solely to maximize shareholder profits. While acknowledging the essential nature of profitability for business viability and growth, Strandberg emphasizes that Canadian corporate law mandates consideration of the broader interests of stakeholders, not just shareholders. She notes that approximately 40 percent of Canada’s largest public companies have publicly articulated a social purpose, which can enhance long-term shareholder value. For Strandberg, profit is a result of fulfilling a corporation’s broader social purpose rather than its exclusive objective.

Another letter addresses Canada’s evolving diplomatic relationship with Saudi Arabia. John J. Reilly from Victoria critiques recent calls to deepen ties with Saudi Arabia without fully addressing the bitter diplomatic rupture that occurred in August 2018. He recalls the Saudi government’s retaliatory measures against Canada following a tweet by the Canadian Foreign Affairs Ministry criticizing Saudi treatment of two family members. The sanctions included expelling the Canadian ambassador, suspending trade, halting flights, and removing thousands of Saudi scholarship students from Canadian institutions. Reilly also references the 2018 killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents as a key factor in assessing the risks of closer relations. While acknowledging the Canadian prime minister’s pragmatic approach of accepting the international status quo, Reilly questions whether there remains a boundary that Canada will refuse to cross in its foreign policy engagements.

Collectively, these letters highlight critical and diverse perspectives on how Canada navigates complex issues related to healthcare access, corporate purpose, and international diplomacy.

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