Canadians will continue overspending on medication due to government inaction
More than 5 years after the federal government promised action on drug pricing, it’s time to end the delays.
We’re calling on the federal government to move forward with new regulations on patent medication pricing. Canadians, including Public Service Health Care Plan members, continue to pay exorbitant prices for their medication until these regulations are implemented.
President Debi Daviau wrote to Health Minister Patty Hajdu to remind the government of how important this issue is to PIPSC members.
The regulatory review should have been implemented in 2020. Due to political inaction, the rules will come into force in 2022 at the earliest, a needless delay.
PIPSC members, many of whom work in health care, know how important it is to access required medication at a fair price. With tighter regulations on drug pricing, Canadians will pay less for their medication, a change that will be especially important to families without private health care plans.
Regulating prescription medication pricing is a first step in the right direction. Next, we need a national pharmacare program, so that no one has to choose between their medication and their groceries.
