The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

It‘s a tall order, one that has forced van Amersfoort to leave the United Way campaign with a little over a month before this year‘s goal is announced on _Sept. 25th. The appointment is under the ausâ€" pices of the Health Industries Sector Council, Health Economic Development, and comes about through van Amersfoort‘s recognition as an "‘innovative thinker" in pharmaceutical circles, plus SmithKline Beecham‘s high profile in the industry. He is also Viceâ€"Chair of the Pharmaceutical The provincial appointment, Chair of the Pharmaceutical Task Force on Drugs and Devices, is a volunteer position, chuckles van Amersfoort, adding the company is allowing him to devote two days a week to this task. ~Â¥; er van Amersfoort, president of zâ€" SmithKline Beecham Pharma, ‘ has traded in his volunteer post as campalgn chair for the Oakville United Way, to head a task force on manufacturing and marketing of pharâ€" maceutical drugs and medical devices for the Ontario government. By WILMA BLOKHUIS Oakville Beaver Staff Earlier this year, former banker Mack Gould was named executive director following the retirement of Bill Deyell; Kathy Munro McCabe came to SmithKline Beecham Pharma president appointed to provincial task force on pharmaceutical drugs United Way announces changing of the guard he Oakville United Way has just finished playing musical chairs with its board of direcâ€" This includes looking at the effecâ€" tiveness of Ontario‘s drug plan, and Before the end of October, van Amersfoort will have to advise the govâ€" ernment on regulatory aspects of the production of both pharmaceuticals and medical devices. "The mandate for the task force," states a S mith K 1i n e Beecham press release announc ing van Amersf00Tt‘ $ "gervan Amersfoort appointment, ""includes development of a harmonized federalâ€"provincial regulatory system, addressing issues of safety, efficacy and quality, development of strategies and policies, fostering strategic alliances in the industry, and prompting the developâ€" ment of new products improving patient care and reducing utilization and cost of health care services while prompting economic development." _ The appointment is effective immeâ€" diately. Manufacturers Association of Canada. Oakville for a brief stint as campaign supervisor before resigning to move back to Sarnia, making way for retired banker Brian Clark; and Gordon Stewart has stepped in as campaign chair in the wake of Ger van Amersfoort‘s resignation to accept a provincial appointment to head a task He noted the smaller manufacturers are not able to contract distributors for of their products domestically, because of costs. "Right now, we have a negative trade balance for drugs and devices in Ontario," he explained, adding that parâ€" ticularly for medical devices, "very small manufacturing companies are exporting their products to large distribâ€" utors in the United States, and other companies are importing these products back into Canada." "One of the main objectives of this task force is to create an action plan to stimulate the pharmaceutical and mediâ€" cal devices industry in Ontario, increase employment, and make sure that espeâ€" cially the devices industry gets a fair share of the world market. And, on the pharmaceutical side, there‘s an enorâ€" mous opportunity to form alliances between small biotechnological compaâ€" nies and large pharmaceutical manufacâ€" turers. 1i D.b what can be improved to make it more cost effective with respect to availabiliâ€" ty of drug benefits versus the criteria for listing and deâ€"listing products for coverâ€" age. "I was delighted when the United Way called me," comments Clark, who retired from the Bank of Nova Scotia two years ago and served on the Oakville United Way board of directors as a Loaned Rep in 1992 and 1993. force on the pharmaceuticals and mediâ€" cal devices industry. The appointment reflects van WALL DEcorRr DEcoORATIVE AccEssoRiIEs! Ofric. $49â€"$279 Was $29â€"$169 Now $21.75â€"$126.75 TEXTILES * PiLLOws * NaPkins * Prace Mats, Anp Mort Oric. $39â€"$129 Was $29â€"$99 Now $21.75â€"$74.25 Oric. $2â€"$269 Was $1â€"$199 Now $.75â€"$149.25 LAMPs WALL DECOR * Froor Lamps * TasLe Lamps In Brass, Hanpâ€"PainTED PORCELAIN, PainTED METAL, Anp More. CLEARANCE offers drasticallyâ€"reduced prices on discontinued items. Hurry, quantities are limited Oric. $29â€"$259 Was $15â€"$169 Now $11.25â€"$126.75 DECORATIVE ACCESSORIES * SinveR PraTE * Brass * PORCELAIN, AND Mort * FrameD PriNTS INcCLUDING HuNT ScENES, FLORALS AND VICTORIANA * Mirrors In Many StvLEs, Anp More. Intermediate markdowns may have been taken. Quantities limited to stock on hand. Selections may vary by store. Ask for our free catalogue. We accept MasterCard, Visa and American Express Free street and lot parking evenings after 6 p.m. Free lot parking all day Saturday and Sunday 229 Lakeshore Road East (west of Trafalgar) 842â€"4088 We in the pharmaceutical industry have to take a responsibility . . . in manâ€" aging and changing the way drugs are prescribed and dispensed." He believes the dispensing of drugs should be better monitored to prevent consumers from **‘double doctoring,‘ going to one doctor for a prescription and then going to another doctor for a second opinion, and another (different) prescription. The problem, says van Amersfoort, is "inappropriate drug use, under drug use, and over drug use." "Heath care studies are only marginally available, and it will take years of epidemiology research to know how much drug products can save over other aspects of the health care system." "However, the government is having more and more difficulty paying for the drug bill, despite pharmaceutical drugs being the most costâ€"effective component of the health care system." In other words, says van Amersfoort, drug theraâ€" py is cheaper than surgery. Amersfoort‘s desire for "reform in some aspects of the pharmaceutical industry" away from just "making products availâ€" able at a certain cost" to looking at new innovative products. Clark, a resident of Oakville for 20 years, will be making presentations and telephone calls, and keep track of the donations as they come in. "Generally, I "Now I‘m here for good, and I‘m delighted to be here for good" â€" or, at least until his retirement from the Oakville United Way. OFF ALREADY REDUCED "SPRING BLOSSOMS" By contemporary American artist Thelma Leanney Butler. 26"h x 30"w Originally $189, was $139, NOW ©104.25 The challenge, says Stewart, is to collect increasingly more dollars from fewer people who are able to donate, to serve the needs which are increasing upwards from the statistic of one in three people in Oakville requiring the services of a United Way funded agenâ€" cy. ""In past recessions, people were just rehired when things turned around," added Stewart. "This time, companies are using the recession for restructuring, resulting in less rehiring and more techâ€" nological changes. A lot of people are not going to be hired back. We‘ve seen radical structural changes and the need (for United Way services) is here to stay." And, he says, the need for United Way funding will not go away. "We have a growing need. The need keeps growing and growing. The economy seems to be turning around, but every once in a while, it hits a snag. We‘re not out of the woods by a long shot," said Stewart. Stewart has been involved with the United Way since the late 1980s in almost every capacity. He‘s been a board member since 1992. "It was handed over to me quite quickly," he commented after chairing his first meeting, this year, on Friday. "I‘ve done this same job in 1992. I felt I am able to step where there‘s a need and finish this job." He heads a 17â€" member campaign cabinet. Stewart, who owns Agency Plus Ltd., an office furniture sales operation, has also had previous experience in his capacity as campaign chair. Through his initial contact with the United Way, Clark became a member of the Big Brothers of Halton board of § directors, and serves as treasurer. 7A# will be working to achieve the goal set for 1994 (to be announced Sept. 25th)" V A L U E $