Canadian Health Coalition members welcome the introduction of the Pharmacare Act
Members of the Canadian Health Coalition welcome the introduction of the Pharmacare Act. This landmark legislation is an important first step in continuing progress toward a universal national pharmacare program.
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Canada is the only country in the world that has a universal health care system that does not include universal coverage for prescription drugs outside of hospitals.
Pharmacare is needed urgently to improve the health of those living in Canada. One-in-five people report they do not have access to prescription drug insurance. Low-wage workers, immigrants, and racialized people are hit hardest.
In addition, the overall cost of drugs to the health system must be reduced. According to Health Canada, prices for prescription drugs in Canada are roughly 25 percent above the median of Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. A single-payer pharmacare system with the power of bulk purchasing is the best route to negotiate lower prices from drug manufacturers.
Health Coalition members have called for the creation of a universal pharmacare program for more than two decades. We endorse heartily the recommendation of the 2019 National Advisory Council on the Implementation of National Pharmacare, led by Dr. Eric Hoskins, that, “the federal government work with provincial and territorial governments to establish a universal, single-payer, public system of prescription drug coverage in Canada.”
A nation-wide program to achieve public coverage for contraception and diabetes medicine and related equipment, delivered by a single-payer approach through provincial public health systems is a historic step in the direction recommended by the Hoskins report on pharmacare.
But there are many more steps ahead to achieve universal coverage of a national formulary of medicines. We urge the government to ensure the legislation adheres to single-payer, universal, public delivery in partnership with provinces and territories, along with adequate funding and accountability measures, in accordance with the principles of the Canada Health Act.
Signed by:
Pauline Worsfold, RN, Chair, Canadian Health Coalition
Bea Bruske, President, Canadian Labour Congress
Mark Hancock, President, Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE)
Linda Silas, President, Canadian Federation of Nurses Union (CFNU)
Bert Blundon, President, National Union of General and Public Employees (NUPGE)
Chris Aylward, President, Public Service Alliance of Canada
Sharleen Stewart, President, SEIU Canada
Marty Warren, President, United Steelworkers
Jennifer Carr, President, Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada
Kellee Janzen, Unifor Health Care Director
Kelly Tosato, President UFCW Local 175
David Robinson, Executive Director, Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT)
Willard Metzger, Executive Director, Citizens for Public Justice
Michael MacIsaac, President, Congress of Union Retirees of Canada (CURC)
Christina Warner, Co-Executive Director, Council of Canadians
Samantha McGavin, Executive Director, Inter Pares
Chris Gallaway, Executive Director, Friends of Medicare
Natalie Mehra, Executive Director, Ontario Health Coalition
Mary Boyd, Chair, PEI Health Coalition
Joel Lexchin MD, CCFP(EM), FCFP, Professor Emeritus, University of Toronto
Rev. Linda McLaren
Endorsed by:
Tuesday Andrich, Labour Co-Chair, British Columbia Health Coalition
Krystal Lewis, Provincial Director, Saskatchewan Health Coalition
Daniel Légère, Labour Co-Chair, New Brunswick Health Coalition
Dr. Robert Barkwell, Chair, Nova Scotia Health Coalition
Natalie Stake-Doucet, Association Québécoise des Infirmières et Infirmiers (AQII)
Lise Goulet, President, Coalition Solidarité Santé
Marc-Édouard Joubert, Conseil régional, Fédération des travailleurs du Québec (FTQ), Montréal métropolitain
Frédéric Brisson, CUPE Québec
Françoise Ramel, Vice-President, Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec (FIQ)
Marc-André Gagnon, independent researcher
Isabelle Leblanc, Médecins Québécois pour le régime public (MQRP)
Maxime Dorais, Union des consommateurs
