Pharmacare should be at the top of Trudeau’s agenda

Posted on November 18, 2015 in Health Policy Context

TheStar.com – Opinion/Commentary – ‘Pharmacare is the unfinished business of the Canadian healthcare system,’ 300 health professionals and academics tell the new prime minister.
Nov 17 2015.   By: Danyaal Raza Steve Morgan

The following open letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been signed by more than 300 health professionals and academics:

Congratulations on becoming Canada’s 23rd prime minister.

Over the course of the election campaign and in the weeks following your victory, there have been many important discussions about Canadian identity and our core values. Among the values that Canadians most support in poll after poll are those embodied in our medicare system: particularly, a belief that all residents of Canada should have access to quality health care.

We are health professionals and health policy researchers concerned, as you are, with the state of Canada’s universal health care system. Soon, your government will be engaging Canada’s premiers and ministers of health in discussions about a new health accord. We hope universal pharmacare will be at the top of your agenda for those discussions.

Here’s why.

Pharmaceuticals are so essential to health and well-being that the World Health Organization has declared that all nations should ensure universal access to necessary medicines. Consistent with that recommendation, every developed country with a universal health care system provides universal coverage of medically necessary prescriptions except Canada.

Unlike any comparable country, Canada’s universal public health care system effectively ends as soon as a patient is handed a prescription to fill.

Millions of Canadians have no drug coverage at all and millions more have coverage that is inadequate to ensure access to medicines. As a result, almost one quarter of Canadians report they or members of their household have not taken medicines as prescribed because of costs.

It is well documented that financial barriers to necessary medicines result in worse health for patients. They also result in unnecessary increases in the use of hospital and medical care.

National standards for universal coverage of medically necessary prescription drugs would therefore satisfy a central goal of pharmaceutical policy: ensuring all Canadians have equitable access to necessary care. Instituting such standards would bring Canada up to par in the developed world. Guided by best available evidence, such coverage would also foster safer, more appropriate use of medicines – potentially making Canada a world leader in the quality of medicine use.

Ensuring universal access to medically necessary prescription drugs is not only the ethical thing to do, it can also be the economically responsible thing to do. Research shows that a universal, public pharmacare system – one coordinated across provinces in ways similar to how federal, provincial, and territorial governments purchase vaccines and blood supply products – would achieve equity of access goals while saving Canadians between $4 billion and $11 billion per year.

Indeed, comparable countries that integrate drug coverage into their universal, public health care system achieve more equitable access to medicines at far lower total cost than Canada spends on our system today.

Canadians support public coverage for medicines of proven value-for-money in our health care system. A recent national survey by the Angus Reid Institute found that a vast majority of Canadians (87 per cent) support adding prescription medicines to Canadian medicare. This support exists “across the board” in terms of regions, age groups, incomes, and education levels. Universal, public pharmacare is also supported by health professions, unions, policy experts, businesses, citizens groups, health charities, health executives, municipalities, and provincial governments.

Your campaign promised a better Canada including a federal government that will not let problems of the past persist when there is an opportunity to improve the lives of Canadians.

Pharmacare is the unfinished business of the Canadian healthcare system. Your government is in the fortunate position to expand medicare’s public mandate to include prescription drugs, and ensure a sunnier future for all Canadians as a result. You can count on our support as you plan a course for doing so.

Yours sincerely,
Julia Abelson, PhD, Professor, Department of Clinical Epidemiology & Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario
Elia Abi-Jaoude, MD, MSc, FRCPC, Staff Psychiatrist, Department of Psychiatry, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
Tracie Afifi, PhD, Associate Professor, Departments of Community Health Sciences and Psychiatry, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Farah Ahmad, MBBS, MPH, PhD, Associate Professor, School of Health Policy and Management, York University, Toronto, Ontario
Silvia Alessi-Severini, PhD, Associate Professor, College of Pharmacy, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Sara Allin, PhD, Assistant Professor, Status-Only, Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
Aslam Anis, PhD, FCAHS, Director, Centre for Health Evaluation & Outcome Sciences, Providence Health Care; Professor, School of Population and Public Health, UBC, Vancouver, British Columbia
Kelly Anthony, PhD, Teaching Fellow, Applied Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario
Paul Antze, Associate Professor emeritus, Department of Social Science, York University, Toronto, Ontario
Pat Armstrong, PhD, Professor, Department of Sociology, York University, Toronto, Ontario
Yukiko Asada, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Peri Ballantyne, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario
Morris Barer, PhD, Professor, Centre for Health Services and Policy Research, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia
Maude Barlow, National Chairperson, The Council of Canadians, Ottawa, Ontario
Steve Barnes, MA, Director of Policy, Wellesley Institute, Toronto, Ontario
Jan Barnsley, PhD, Associate Professor, Institute of Health Policy, Management & Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
Francoise Baylis, PhD, FRSC, FCAHS, Professor and Canada Research Chair in Bioethics and Philosophy, Faculties of Medicine & Arts and Social Sciences, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Ahmed Bayoumi, MD, MSc, FRCPC, Professor, Department of Medicine and Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
Michaela Beder, MD, FRCPC, Psychiatrist, St Michael’s Hospital; Lecturer, University of Toronto, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
François Béland, PhD, Professor, Department of Health Administration, Ėcole de santé publique, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec
Warren Bell, MDCM, CCFP, FCFP, Family Doctor, Salmon Arm, Salmon Arm, British Columbia
Philip Berger, O.ONT, MD, CCFP, FCFP, FRCPC (Hon), Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
Anne-Emanuelle Birn, ScD, Professor of Critical Development Studies and Social and Behavioural Health Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
Pierre Biron, MD, MS, Honorary professor of medical pharmacology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec
Lise M. Bjerre, MD, PhD, MCFP, Assistant Professor, Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario
Charlyn Black, MD, PhD, Associate Director, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia
Regis Blais, PhD, Professor, Department of Health Administration, School of Public Health, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec
Gary Bloch, MD, Assistant Professor, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
Katherine Boothe, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario
Roxane Borgès Da Silva, PhD, Associate Professor, Faculty of Nursing, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec
Stephen Bornstein, PhD, Director, Centre of Applied Health Research, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador
Ivy Bourgeault, PhD, , Professor, Telfer School of Management and Institute of Population Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario
Mylaine Breton, PhD, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec
Marni Brownell, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Mariana Brussoni, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia
Stirling Bryan, PhD, Director, Centre for Clinical Epidemiology & Evaluation, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia
Toba Bryant, PhD, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, Oshawa, Ontario
Michael Butler, National Health Campaigner, The Council of Canadians, Ottawa, Ontario
John Calvert, PhD, Associate Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia
Debra Cameron, PhD, MEd, BScOT, OT Reg., Assistant Professor, Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
Bruce Carleton, PharmD, Professor, Department of Paediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia
Nicholas Carleton, PhD, RD Psych, Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan
Alan Cassels, CD, MPA, Adjunct Faculty, Faculty of Human and Social Development, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia
Timothy Caulfield, LLM, FRSC, FCAHS, Professor and Canada Research Chair in Health Law & Policy, Faculty of Law, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta
Roger Chafe, PhD, Director, Janeway Pediatric Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador
An-Wen Chan, MD, DPhil, FRCPC, Associate Professor, Department of Medicine and Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
Ben Chan, MD, MPH, MPA, Assistant Professor, Institute for Health Policy, Management & Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
Fiona Chan, BScPharm, RPh, MSc Cand., Pharmacist; Graduate Student, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia
Neena Chappell, PhD, FRSC, FCAHS, Canada Research Chair in Social Gerontology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia
Claudia Chaufan, MD, PhD,Fulbright Research Chair 2015, York University, Toronto, Ontario
Vaughn Chauvin, BScPhm, CGP, Rsh, Lecturer, Pharmacist, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia
Helen Chen, PhD, Assistant Professor, School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario
Robert Chernomas, PhD,Professor, Department of Economics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Niteesh Choudhry, MD, PhD, Associate Professor, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, USA
Jon Church, PhD, Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador
Donna Ciliska, RN, PhD, Professor Emeritus, School of Nursing, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario
Eyal Cohen, MD, MSc, Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
André-Pierre Contandriopoulos, PhD, Professeur émérite, Département d’administration de la santé, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec
Damien Contandriopoulos, PhD, Professor, Faculty of Nursing, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec
Yves Couturier, PhD, Professeur titulaire, École de travail social, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec
Tony Culyer, CBE, BA, FRSA, FMedSci, Adjunct Professor, Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
Tamara Daly, PhD, CIHR Research Chair in Gender, Work & Health, Faculty of Health, York University, Toronto, Ontario
Jamie Daw, MSc,, Doctoral Candidate, Harvard University, Boston, USA
Raisa Deber, PhD, Professor, Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
Nicole Dedobbeleer, ScD, Professor honoraire, Département d’administration de la santé, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec
Dianne Delva, MD, CCFP, FCFP, Chair, Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario
Avram Denburg, MD, MSc, FRCPC, Pediatric Oncologist, Hospital for Sick Children; and 2015 Trudeau Scholar, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario
Michael Dettman, MD, ABEM, FRCP(C), Physician, Vancouver Hospital Emergency Department, Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, UBC, Vancouver, British Columbia
PJ Devereaux, MD, PhD, FRCPC, Professor, Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario
Livio Di Matteo, PhD,Professor, Department of Economics, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario
Alba DiCenso, CM, RN, PhD, FCAHS, Professor Emeritus, School of Nursing and Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario
Lisa Dolovich, PharmD, BScPhm, MSc, Professor and Associate Chair, Research, Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario
Katie Dorman, MD, MSc, CCFP, Family Physician, Weeneebayko General Hospital, Moose Factory, Ontario
Naheed Dosani, MD, CCFP, Palliative Care Physician, William Osler Health System; and Assistant Clinical Professor, McMaster University, Toronto, Ontario
Jocelyn Downie, SJD, FRSC, FCAHS, Professor, Faculties of Law & Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Michelle Driedger, PhD, Canada Research Chair in Environment and Health Risk Communication, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Joel Dubin, PhD, Associate Professor, Statistics & Actuarial Science and School of Public Health & Health Systems, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario
Isser Dubinsky, MD,CCFP(EM), Associate Professor, Department of Family Medicine, and Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
Monika Dutt, MD, MBA, MPH, CCFP, FRCPC, Adjunct Professor, Cape Breton University, Sydney, Nova Scotia
Brenda Elias, Associate Professor, College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Rachel Engler-Stringer, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Mahyar Etminan, PharmD, MSc, Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia
David Feeny, PhD, Professor of Economics and Member of the Centre for Health Economics and Policy Analysis, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario
Katherine Fierlbeck, PhD, McCulloch Chair of Political Science, Department of Political Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Colleen Flood, LLB (Hons), LLM, SJD, Director, University of Ottawa Centre for Health Law, Policy & Ethics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario
Conchita Fonseca, MD, BSc, CCFP-EM, Family Physician, Ottawa, Ontario
Lisa Forman, LLB, MA, SJD, Canada Research Chair in Human Rights and Global Health Equity, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
Katherine Frohlich, PhD, Professeure Titulaire, Département de médecine sociale et préventive, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec
Marc-André Gagnon, PhD, Associate Professor, School of Public Policy and Administration, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario
J.M. Gamble, PhD, Assistant Professor, School of Pharmacy, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador
Denise Gastaldo, BScN, MA, PhD, Associate Professor, Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing and Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
Robert Gendron, PhD, Professor, BioMedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador
Elaine Gibson, LLB, LLM, Associate Professor of Law, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Frédéric Gilbert, PhD, MBA, Professeur, Département d’Organisation et ressources humaines, École des sciences de la gestion, Université du Québec à Montréal, Québec
Sarah Giles, MD, CCFP(EM), DTM&H, Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Family Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta
Liane Ginsburg, PhD,Associate, Professor, School of Health Policy & Management, York University, Toronto, Ontario
Rick Glazier, MD, MPH, Professor, Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
Ritika Goel, MD, MPH, CCFP, Lecturer, Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
Paula Goering, RN, PhD, Professor, Department of Psychiatry, , University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
Laurie Goldsmith, PhD, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia
Rachel Gorman, PhD, Assistant Professor, School of Health Policy and Management, York University, Toronto, Ontario
Carolyn Gotay, PhD, FCAHS, Professor and Canadian Cancer Society Chair in Cancer Primary Prevention, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia
Daniel Grace, PhD, Assistant Professor, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
Janice Graham, PhD, Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Michael Green, MD, MPH, CCFP, Associate Professor, Departments of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario
Samantha Green, MD, CCFP, Family Physician and Lecturer, St. Michael’s Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
Devon Greyson, MLIS, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Paediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia
Allan Grill, MD, MPH, CCFP, Assistant Professor, Department of Family & Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
Jeremy Grimshaw, MBChB, PhD, FRCGP, FCAHS, Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario
Paul Grootendorst, PhD, Associate Professor, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy and School of Public Policy and Governance, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
Quinn Grundy, RN, PhD, Postdoctoral Researcher, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
Doug Gruner, MD,CCFP,FCFP, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario
Emmanuel Guindon, PhD, Assistant Professor, Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Centre for Health Economics and Policy Analysis, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario
Gordon Guyatt, OC, MD, MSc, FRCPC, Distinguished Professor, Department of Clinical Epidemiology & Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario
Michael Hadskis, Assistant Professor, School of Health Administration & Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Jeannie Haggerty, PhD, McGill Research Chair in Family & Community Medicine at St. Mary’s Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Québec
Trevor Hancock, Hon FFPH, Professor and Senior Scholar, School of Public Health and Social Policy, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia
Gillian Hanley, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia
Rhona Hanning, PhD, RD, FDC, Professor, School of Public Health & Health Systems, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario
Lori Hanson, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Community Health & Epidemiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Lisa Hartling, PhD, Director, Alberta Research Centre for Health Evidence, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta
Linda Haslam Stroud, RN, ONA Provincial President, Ontario Nurses’ Association, Toronto, Ontario
Marie Hatem, PhD, Professeure titulaire, École de Santé Publique-Département de médecine sociale et préventive, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec
Michael Hayes, PhD, Director, School of Public Health and Social Policy, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia
Kate Hayman, MD, MPH, FRCPC, Physician, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario
Brian Haynes, OC, MD, PhD, FRCPC, Professor, Departments of Clinical Epidemiology & Biostatistics and Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario
Janet Hazelton, BScN, RN, MPA, President, Nova Scotia Nurses’ Union, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
Réjean Hébert, MD, MPhil, Professeur titulaire, Département d’administration de la santé École de santé publique, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec
George Heckman, MD, MSc, FRCPC, Schlegel Research Chair in Geriatric Medicine, School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario
David Henry, MB ChB, MRCP, FRCP, Professor, Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
Marjolaine Héon, PhD, Professeure adjointe, Faculté des sciences infirmières, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec
Matthew Herder, LLM, JSM, Associate Professor, Faculties of Medicine and Law, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Matt Hiltz, BSc, LLB, Executive Director, New Brunswick Nurses’ Union, Fredericton, New Brunswick
Steven Hoffman, MA, JD, PhD, Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario
Corinne Hohl, MDCM, MHSc, BS, FRCPC, CCFP, Associate Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia
Anne Holbrook, MD, PharmD, MSc, FRCPC, Director, Division of Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology; Professor, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario
Aidan Hollis, PhD, Professor, Department of Economics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta
Matthew Hunt, PhD, PT, Assistant Professor and Director of Research, School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, McGill University, Montreal, Québec
Jeremiah Hurley, PhD, Professor and Chair, Department of Economics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario,
Winston Husbands, PhD, Director of Research, AIDS Committee of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
Brian Hutchison, MD, MSc, FCFP, Professor Emeritus, Departments of Family Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario
Stephen Hwang, MD, MPH, FRCPC, Director, Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
Alistair Ingram, MD, FRCPC, Professor of Medicine and Chief of Medicine, St. Joseph’s Healthcare, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario
Noah Ivers, MD, PhD, CCFP, Scientist, Women’s College Research Institute, Women’s College Hospital, Toronto, Ontario
Robert James, MD, FCFP, Adjunct Professor, Graduate Program in Health Policy and Equity, York University, Toronto, Ontario
Craig Janes, PhD, Professor and Director, School of Public Health & Health Systems, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario
Joy Johnson, PhD, RN, FCAHS, Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia
Marcella Jones, MPH, MD Candidate 2017, Medical Student, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
Jill Kambeitz, MD, CCFP, Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Nick Kates, MB.BS FRCPC, Professor & Chair, Dept. of Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario
Alan Katz, MBChB, MSc, CCFP, Director, Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Stephen Katz, PhD, Professor, Department of Sociology, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario
Arminee Kazanjian, DrSoc, Professor, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia
Claire Kendall, MD, PhD, MSc(Public Health), Associate Professor, Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario
Nadia Khan, MD, MSc, FRCPC, Professor of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia
Kapil Khatter, MD, Family Physician and Lecturer, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario
Rutherford Kimberly, MD, MSc, CCFP, Family Physician, Spectrum Health; Medical Coordinator, Primary Outreach Services, Vancouver Coastal Health; Clinical Instructor, Department of Family Practice, UBC
Carol Kitai, MD, FCFP, PhD, Family Medicine, Women’s College Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Mieke Koehoorn, PhD
Professor and Head, Occupational and Environmental Health Division, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia
Jillian Clare Kohler, PhD, Associate Professor, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, Munk School of Global Affairs & Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
Jacek Kopec, MD, MSc, PhD, Professor and Head, Division of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Public Health Practice, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia
Udo Krautwurst, PhD, Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
I fan Kuo, PharmD, BSc (Pharm), MSc, ACPR, RPh, Assistant Professor, College of Pharmacy, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Ronald Labonté, PhD, FCAHS, HonFFPH, Professor and Canada Research Chair, School of Epidemiology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario
Ismail Laher, PhD, Professor, Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia
Susan Law, PhD, Associate Professor, McGill Family Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Québec
Isabelle Leblanc, MD, MSc, CQMF, Assistant professor, Family medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Québec
Richard Lee, PhD, FRSC, University Professor Emeritus, Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
Brenda LeFrançois, PhD, Professor, School of Social Work and Division of Community Health and Humanities, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador
Pascale Lehoux, PhD, Researcher, Institute of Public Health Research, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec
Trudo Lemmens, LicJur, LLM, DCL, Professor and Scholl Chair in Health Law and Policy, Faculty of Law, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, and Joint Centre for Bioethics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
Christine Leong, PharmD, Assistant Professor and FMC Clinical Pharmacist, College of Pharmacy, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Grigorios Leontiadis, MD, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario
Joel Lexchin, MSc, MD, Professor, School of Health Policy and Management, York University, Toronto, Ontario
Lisa Lix, PhD, Stat, Professor and Manitoba Research Chair, Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Stan Lubin, MD, MPH, Professor Emeritus, Department of Family Practice, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia
Sharon Macdonald, MD, FRCPC, Associate Professor, Dept of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Ellen MacEachen, PhD, Associate Professor, School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario
Constance MacIntosh, BA, MA, LLB, Director, Dalhousie Health Law Institute, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia
André Magnan, PhD, Associate Professor, Sociology and Social Studies, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan
Sally Mahood, MD, CCFP, FCFP, Associate Professor, Family Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Regina, Saskatchewan
Abeer Majeed, MD, CCFP, PGY3 Fellow, Clinical Environmental Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
Dee Mangin, MBChB, DPH, FRNZCGP, David Braley Nancy Gordon Chair in Family Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario
Sharon Manson Singer, MSW, PhD, Professor (retired), School of Public Policy, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia

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One Response to “Pharmacare should be at the top of Trudeau’s agenda”

  1. When I told my Aunt how much my prescriptions were a month she was floored. After living in Florida for 11 years she has forgotten how flawed our health care system is. As the article states, our free healthcare essentially ends when you are handed your prescription to fill. Mine alone are $400/month. Luckily I am in school and covered under the health plan there, but what happens when I graduate? While working in the field the year before I decided to do my undergrad I had many clients unable to afford their medications, which meant they were taken sporadically when they were able to purchase them. These clients were hospitalized numerous times and the repercussion of all of these hospitalizations resulted in lost jobs, homes, and the risk of losing their children to ex partners seen as “more stable.” By making medications more affordable the likelihood of this cycle happening decreases.

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