Alberta Health Minister Sarah Hoffman's credibility questioned on Pure North issue

Updated: May 25, 2022. After publication of this story, Pure North filed a defamation lawsuit against the CBC, the Dietitians of Canada, and some of their employees. In March 2020, Pure North discontinued its claim against the Dietitians of Canada issued aclarification statementwhich relates to the story below. In May 2022, Pure North discontinued its claims against the CBC and its employees. While CBC stands behind the accuracy of its reporting, the CBC has agreed with Pure North to provide alinkto a statement where Pure North provides an additional response to the article below and related coverage.

Health Minister Sarah Hoffman either misled the legislature or her senior staff withheld critical information from her about health safety issues related to a program offered by a private alternative health foundation to which she approved millions of dollars in funding, an internal briefing note shows.

In a March interview with CBC News, Hoffman said she knew nothing about serious health safety issues identified in government documents related to the Calgary-based Pure North S'Energy Foundation before she approved a $4.2-million grant to the foundation in October 2016 for a primary-care clinic.

On April 10, in response to questions from Wildrose MLA Tany Yao, Hoffman told the legislature she still had no specific knowledge of health risks associated with the foundation's alternative health program.

But an Alberta Health Services (AHS) briefing note shows that on Sept. 28, 2016 a month before her ministry signed the $4.2-million grant agreement Hoffman's office was told health officials had previously identified the "potential for negative health effects" resulting from the foundation's distribution of high-dose supplements to vulnerable populations.

"Either she has misrepresented the facts inside the house, or her staff haven't provided her with the appropriate information, both of which should be very concerning," Wildrose accountability critic Nathan Cooper said in an interview.

The Wildrose obtained the briefing note through a freedom of information request and provided it to CBC News.

Hoffman's press secretary Tim Wilson did not acknowledge an interview request from CBC News last week. Hoffman has also repeatedly refused to answer questions about lobbying and allegations of conflict of interest involving her deputy minister, Carl Amrhein, who was a participant in the Pure North program.

Pure North is a privately run, non-profit foundation that offers an unproven alternative health program involving high doses of supplements, including vitamin D. The foundation focuses its work on vulnerable populations and operates free programs at homeless shelters and drug recovery centres.

'Potential for negative health effects'

The September 2016 briefing note was prepared for Hoffman and AHS chief executive officer Dr. Verna Yiu. Called "Issues and Key Messages," it was intended to alert them to issues about Pure North contained in AHS records that were to be released to CBC News under freedom of information.

Pure North at that time was seeking a total of $50 million in funding to "improve depression and anxiety in the homeless and those suffering from addictions in Calgary and Edmonton" through high-dose vitamin supplements and the removal of mercury-based dental fillings. The briefing note states there is "insufficient evidence" that either treatment works.

CBC News reported in early April that Alberta Health gave Pure North $10 million in December 2013, against the advice of ministry officials, to expand its programultimately to thousands of Alberta seniors.

The briefing note specifically warns Hoffman and Yiu about an incident, identified by CBC News as occurring at the Calgary Drop-In Centre in 2013, in which AHS dietitians raised concerns about Pure North's supplement program.

"The concerns were about the potential for negative health effects [from the] non-evidence-based practice of providing megadoses of vitamins and minerals exceeding recommended levels," the briefing note states, adding an additional concern was that "the individuals offered these megadoses may not have the ability to properly assess the safety of what is being offered."

A Pure North spokesperson has said the foundation was not told about the drop-in centre incident. Despite the concerns of public health officials, Pure North points to research studies it says show the program is safe and effective.

Minister should be aware of risks

Dr. Alun Edwards, a senior AHS medical director, is quoted in the briefing note as saying the Pure North program "hits the borderline for appropriateness."

Cooper said it is "concerning" that AHS has detailed safety concerns with the Pure North program, yet Hoffman does not appear to be investigating them.

"The minister absolutely must be aware of any risks or concerns with the ongoings of the program," he said. "She is the one that needs to be responsible to ensure that those who are engaged in the program are safe and receiving appropriate care."

When Hoffman became health minister in 2015, she refused, based on advice from her officials, to give Pure North more funding for its seniors program. But in October 2016, her ministry signed a grant with the foundation for a nurse-practitioner-led primary care clinic in Calgary. The grant is worth up to $4.2 million over several years.

Hoffman has insisted Pure North will not be offering any of its alternative-health treatments at its primary care clinic and it will not refer patients to its other program.

Cooper said the Wildrose will continue to press for answers from Hoffman in the legislature.

"We are seeing a track record from this government of a lack of openness and transparency" Cooper said. "And now we see the health department ducking and weaving on a very, very important issue of transparency."

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