Green Party Leader wants pharmacare to cut drug costs and corporate influence
This week’s edition of who is saying what about public health care is compiled by Pat Van Horne.
Single-payer, universal pharmacare – we’re not there yet
“The benefits of universal, single-payer pharmacare are only achieved through the cost savings achieved by the buying power of a single buyer at the federal level. With the ability to negotiate with Big Pharma applying the leverage of a 40-million-customer market, prices would come down for everyone. Additionally, from the Green Party point of view, a single buyer could also operate to a high ethical standard within which drug companies could not curry favour with Health Canada or individual doctors,” wrote Green Party Co-Leader Elizabeth May (MP Saanich-Gulf Islands), in The Hill Times, March 27, 2024
Strange practice: pharmacists paying incentives to drug users
“The College of Pharmacists doesn’t care. They said, ‘We can’t accept your complaint unless it comes from the patient who’s directly benefiting from it.’ So the patient has to complain that they’re getting paid, essentially, which doesn’t make sense,” said Lisa Howard, a family physician who provides primary and addictions care in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, The Globe and Mail, March 28, 2024
British Columbia to pay international firm up to $1.5 million to tell it how to fund long-term care
“The stakeholder engagement is now up to this contracted-out consultant who might not know the primary stakeholders in the communities that are being impacted. . . The worst-case scenario is that the lobbyist group that represents the private long-term care providers, which is the BC Care Providers, would hijack this process and would be in charge of shaping these mechanisms that were supposed to be implemented to hold them accountable. (It’s like) the fox guarding the hen house,” said Ayendri Riddell, campaigner with the B.C. Health Coalition, The Tyee, March 28, 2024
ER, women’s centre among Manitoba government pledges in budget
“We want them to make some solid steps forward in reversing austerity. I expect the government to prioritize health care as they did in the election,” said Molly McCracken, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives Manitoba, Winnipeg Free Press, April 2, 2024
$430 million in federal funding to improve health care access and services in New Brunswick
“New Brunswick is dedicated to emboldening seniors to age with dignity and in comfort, as close to home as possible. We thank the Federal Government for their recognition of our efforts and for supporting seniors and their families in our province,” said Jill Green, New Brunswick Minister of Social Development, in the Government of Canada news release, March 26, 2024
University of Saskatchewan researchers developing health and rights program in Mozambique
“University of Saskatchewan researchers are embodying what it takes to be the university the world needs in health-care research… It is gratifying to see the support and recognition for Dr. Muhajarine and his team as they work with our international partners to support this groundbreaking work in improving equity and health of women and young girls in Mozambique,” said Dr. Baljit Singh (PhD), vice-president research of the University of Saskatchewan, in the University of Saskatchewan News, April 2, 2024
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