By Robert Brown benefits, Canadians, employee drug benefits, health coverage, insurance, national pharmacare, national pharmacare program, Pharmacare, pharmacare benefits, prescription drugs
The Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) recently published a report outlining the expected costs and benefits of a possible National Pharmacare Program – and it’s pretty good news for most Canadians. The pharmacare program that was assessed was one proposed by the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health in 2016. This committee provided the program’s […]
By Avram Denburg and Wendy Ungar Canada’s healthcare system, Canadian healthcare system, Canadian medicare, children, cost of drugs, drug cost, Drug coverage, employee benefits, health care spending, national drug plan, Pharmaceutical, prescription drugs
From Ontario’s lips to the feds’ ears A version of this commentary appeared in the Hill Times and the Huffington Post. The Ontario government’s decision to invest in universal drug coverage for those under 25 is a long-needed policy commitment that will help ensure the health of our next generation. As a pediatric oncologist, I see children […]
By Steve Morgan Canada’s healthcare system, Canadian healthcare system, cost of drugs, drug cost, Drug coverage, employee benefits, health care spending, national drug plan, Pharmaceutical, prescription drugs, universal coverage, Universal health care
A version of this commentary appeared in the Toronto Star Ontario has just announced that they will offer a publicly funded pharmacare system for children and youth in Ontario. This is a small step in the right direction, one that is arguably most important for its symbolism in a national debate. Why just a small […]
By Mélanie Meloche-Holubowski addiction, Canada, opioides overdose, opioids, overdose, Podcasts, prescribing, prescription drugs, Public health
North America is grappling with an opioids epidemic. British Columbia has even declared a public health emergency because of a significant increase in opioid-related overdoses and deaths. Dr. David Juurlink, Head of the Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Toronto, and Tara Gomes, Epidemiologist and Scientist at St. Michael’s Hospital and […]
By David Juurlink addiction, overdose, oxycodone, pain treatment, Pharmaceutical industry, Pharmaceutical policy, prescription drug abuse, prescription drugs, Prescription opioid crisis, prescription painkillers
Over the past year I’ve lost track of how many times the opioid epidemic has, in one incarnation or another (Prince, naloxone, fentanyl, newborns in agonizing withdrawal and so on) found its way onto the front page news.
Pharmacare is for kids too
By Avram Denburg and Steve Morgan Canada’s healthcare system, Canadian healthcare system, Canadian medicare, children, cost of drugs, drug cost, Drug coverage, employee benefits, health care spending, national drug plan, Pharmaceutical, prescription drugs
You are the parent of a sick child. You have a limited budget and you must decide to buy the medicine the doctor prescribed for your child or provide food and shelter for your family instead. What do you do?
Canada’s chance to catch up on drug safety for children
By Martin Offringa and Terry P. Klassen children, children's health, drug efficacy, drug safety, medication, prescription drugs
Almost a year has passed since an important report was released on ways Canada needs to improve medicines for children. The report was commissioned by Health Canada and undertaken by the Council of Canadian Academies after many alarms were sounded by experts in the community.
By Steve Morgan cost of drugs, drug plan, employee drug benefits, national pharmacare, Pharmacare, pharmacare benefits, Pharmaceutical industry, pharmaceutical policies in Canada, prescription drugs, Private health benefits, universal drug benefits
A growing number of health professionals, patients, community groups and even politicians are calling for national pharmacare. But many Canadians likely wonder what pharmacare is and whether Canada is ready for it.
By Alan Cassels and Sean O'Brady cost of drugs, drug plan, employee drug benefits, Pharmacare, Pharmaceutical industry, pharmaceutical policies in Canada, prescription drugs, private drug plans, Private health benefits, public drug plan
There is certainly a lot of waste in health systems, but one area that seems to have escaped close scrutiny is the waste in private drug plans in Canada. To put it simply, that waste is gut-churning.
By Steve Morgan aging population, British-Colombia, drug cost, drug plan, ontario, Pharmaceutical policy, prescription drug, prescription drugs, seniors, subsidy, tax, universal pharmacare
Ontario spends $11-billion per year on prescription drugs. Nearly half of this is spent on medicines used by senior citizens, a group that receives public subsidies for nearly all of their prescription drug costs in Ontario.