ATLANTIC CANADA PREMIERS NEED TO URGENTLY OPT IN TO PHARMACARE

As a family doctor I would ask every patient, “Will you be able to pay for this prescription?” Too often, the answer was “No.” In October 2024, Canada passed historic legislation – Bill C-64, the Pharmacare Act – as a first step toward fixing this. Starting with publicly funded coverage for diabetes medications and contraceptives, with the aim of expanding toward comprehensive national pharmacare, this new law could save lives and money for thousands of people in Atlantic Canada who struggle to pay for medications.

Yet not one premier in Atlantic Canada has signed onto this deal with the federal government.

The choice for some patients is still between food, rent or medication because our provincial governments have not (yet) opted in to the new national pharmacare program. Sometimes, prescriptions that should have lasted three months are stretched for five or six months because of skipped doses. Patients are rationing medications because of cost.

These preventable situations happen because, even with this new legislation, Canada remains a laggard in fully implementing universal, comprehensive, publicly funded coverage for medications. Covering the cost of just these two classes of medications has significant downstream benefits.

Given the epidemic of gender-based violence and its link with lack of access to contraception, “providing free contraception would be one step to show … understanding of this epidemic and commitment to action.” Free contraception is smart economics and supports health equity and provision of best evidence-based medicine.

Diabetes medication and devices can range anywhere from $200 to more than $10,000 per person per year. This is especially relevant to the Atlantic provinces as we have the highest percentage of adults living with diabetes in the country, ranging from nine per cent in New Brunswick to 11 per cent in Newfoundland and Labrador, compared to eight per cent in Canada.

Nova Scotia has the highest poverty rate in Canada. Universal coverage for diabetes medication and devices in Atlantic Canada would reduce economic hardship for thousands of families, lessen individual suffering, and decrease cost and burden on the health care system from complications of poorly managed diabetes, such as kidney failure, heart disease and amputations.

Pharmacare has garnered rare support across the political spectrum. Nearly 86 per cent of Canadians support the idea, including 76 per cent of Conservative supporters, with 77 per cent of Canadians stating that increasing coverage should be a high-priority issue for the federal government.

The implementation of national pharmacare is at risk with the prorogation of Parliament and the increasing likelihood of an early federal election.

Our best hope is to pass bilateral agreements between Ottawa and the Atlantic provinces before the election, yet these discussions are currently stalled. Atlantic premiers need to urgently opt-into pharmacare to benefit their constituents now and for years to come.

We, the people of Atlantic Canada, can reach out to our MLAS, ministers of health and premiers to support and encourage them to seize this once-ina-lifetime opportunity to reach a deal with Ottawa on Bill C-64 as a first step on the road to a strong, truly universal and comprehensive pharmacare program that builds on the successes of medicare. We must not let this historic opportunity pass us by.

Catherine Cervin MD, CCFP, FCFP, MAED. Board of directors, Canadian Doctors for Medicare.