Acting health minister John Haggie has written a letter to Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services asking them to evaluate procurement contracts they have with companies in the United States.

PC Health Critic Barry Petten first raised the issue in the House of Assembly yesterday, asking what contracts with US-based companies have been replaced with Canadian vendors.

While NLHS is looking at the situation, Haggie does not know how rapidly they can move away from some companies given that they may produce highly-specialized health care products.

Petten also wants government to have a look at their contract with Teladoc, which is worth about $11-million annually, which he argues has American doctors doing work here.

Haggie states they can look at the Teladoc, but counters Petten’s point by saying there are Canadian doctors that work for the company.

He says he wouldn’t want to get in the way of Newfoundland or Canadian physicians providing service through that company.