Letter to The Honourable Fred J. Mifflin, P.C., C.D., M.P.

June 22, 1999

The Honourable Fred J. Mifflin, P.C., C.D., M.P.
Minister of Veterans Affairs
Room 207
Confederation Building
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6

Dear Minister:

Re: Viagra - Pensioned War Amputees

According to a news report in The National Post on June 15, 1999, the Department will delay consideration of authority regarding the issue of Viagra to qualified war veterans until later this year.

This matter was discussed at the Annual Directors Meeting of The War Amputations of Canada in Toronto on Friday June 18th.

We took particular note of the comments of Mr. Don Wilson which were as follows:

"The Department is waiting to see the preliminary results of Viagra's use in Canada before the Department makes any decision."

"We would want to make sure before it was accepted as a benefit that due consideration was given to the impact of the pill, in terms of health."

"The diagnosis of the condition or the need is very vague. You can't go and get an x-ray, you can't go for a test that's going to tell you you need it."

We passed a resolution requesting that I bring to your attention the special requirements of amputees in regard to the possible use of Viagra.

The following points were approved in this resolution:

1. Viagra should be issued as a prescription drug available without cost to pensioned war amputees where an order has been given for this drug by a qualified physician.

2. Veterans Affairs Canada should be satisfied with the testing and results of Health Canada; and veterans should not have to await any decision by your Department regarding the safe use of the drug;

3. We bring to your attention the Exceptional Incapacity Allowance provisions of the Pension Act; and in particular, the provision that loss of enjoyment of life is considered as a factor in adjudication for Exceptional Incapacity Allowance. This appears to indicate, in our view, that the legislators have recognized any possible effect upon enjoyment of life as a pensioned condition.

4. A special condition which affects all war amputees is what is known to psychiatrists as "loss of body image." War amputees have long recognized that where a stump or stumps remain, an amputee must necessarily give the appearance without clothes, which could affect a sexual partner;

5. In particular reference to arm amputees, intercourse presents certain problems in regard to what we commonly speak among ourselves as the loss of balance;

6. Leg amputees very often will express the view that the loss of a limb does indeed affect what is known as "position" in regard to sexual intercourse.

Taking all of these factors into account, we desire to express our opinion to you and your Departmental officials that, given the proper circumstances, sexual enhancement drugs such as Viagra can serve to overcome disabilities which might otherwise affect their performance as sexual partners. It would be appreciated, therefore, if the Department could take these factors into consideration and issue an instruction with the least possible delay concerning the special needs of Viagra by pensioned war amputees.

Yours sincerely,

H. Clifford Chadderton, CC, O.Ont., CAE, DCL, LLD
Chief Executive Officer, The War Amps