The existential crisis in the Conservative Party

 ABOVE: (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) Conservative leadership candidates Scott Aitchison, Roman Baber, Patrick Brown, Pierre Poilievre, Leslyn Lewis, and Jean Charest. There is an adage that perfectly fits the Conservative Party of Canada today, “‘Do You Want to Be Right . . . or do you want to win.” The answer to that question

Canadians with diabetes may be eligible for continuous glucose monitoring

 Dexcom, a trailblazer in continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), has announced that people suffering from type 1 diabetes, above the age of 2, may now receive provincial coverage for the Dexcom G6 CGM. The company is providing insurance covered CGM systems to select Canadian provinces. Dexcom manufactures continuous glucose monitoring systems

Cancer drugs costly for many Canadians, free for others

 National pharmacare program offering universal prescription coverage for all Canadians could help decrease inequities for cancer patients Prescription drug coverage is a major problem in Canada. Canadians not only pay significantly more for medication than consumers in many other developed countries but many inequities in access exist. One’s age, profession,

National public drug plan makes sense and cents

 By: Julie White and Keith Newman, board members with the Canadian Health Coalition Earlier this year, the House of Commons health committee released a report recommending a national public drug plan for Canadians. It proposed that prescription medication be treated the same as doctors and hospitals — as a public service

National Pharmacare simply makes cents

 By: Keith Newman, board member with the Canadian Health Coalition Will the federal government establish a national public drug plan? Our universal system of health care now covers doctors and hospitals and we are rightly proud of it. It’s time to include prescription drugs. Every other high-income country with universal public health

The Unavoidable Sense in the Kinder-Morgan Purchase

 Three months have passed since I became a ‘New Canadian’; the decision to settle in Ottawa had been one that rested on my mind for almost a year before I could finally get on that plane, leaving Glasgow behind. Three months in which I have found a new home, began

REPORT: Universal Pharmacare Would Save Canadians Billions

 "All Canadians, including employers, would benefit from a national pharmacare program. Such a program would be the next phase of our health care system as envisioned by Tommy Douglas."  These are the words of  Ken Neumann, National Director for Canada, United Steelworkers and they come at a time when all Canadians

National Pharmacare Makes Sense, So Why Don’t We Have It?

 Every developed country in the world with universal healthcare also provides universal coverage of prescription drugs. Well, except Canada. A national public drug plan, or Pharmacare as it’s more commonly called, has been in the works since the 1960s, when the Royal Commission on Health Services recommended its introduction following

Universal Health Care – Chapter 2 – National Pharmacare: Canadian Health Coalition

 As Canadians, we tend to be rather proud of our public healthcare system, scoffing at our Southern neighbor’s patchwork solutions and their latest president’s attempt to overturn the Affordable Care Act. However, the system we so often take for granted hasn’t been around for very long, and its developing stages

It’s Time to Think Beyond National Pharmacare

 Make the evidence on drug safety and effectiveness public Recently federal and provincial health ministers agreed to create a working group to explore how to improve Canadians’ access to pharmaceutical drugs. In the wake of this, there is new optimism that pharmacare, publicly funded and universally available to Canadians, might

We Need Federal Leadership on Pharmaceutical Drug Coverage

 More than 300 health academics and health professional sign letter to Prime Minister Trudeau on the need for federal leadership on pharmaceutical drug coverage (Toronto and Vancouver) -- Every developed country with a universal healthcare system provides universal coverage of prescription drugs…except Canada. The problems associated with Canada's incomplete patchwork

Dear Health Minister – Please Reinstate Funding for Cochrane Canada

 Cochrane is a key global healthcare resource that needs Canada’s involvement Imagine you’re our new Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau. Despite a grueling election campaign, you’re flush with energy and idealism in a country where “better is always possible.” One key priority is improving Canada’s prosperity but there are also many

Current Patchwork of Funding Policies for Children’s Medicine in Canada Needs Critical Attention

 You are the parent of a sick child.  You have a limited budget and you must decide to buy the medicine the doctor prescribed for your child or provide food and shelter for your family instead.  What do you do? Sadly this dilemma is one too many Canadians are facing.

Pharmacare is for Kids Too

 Written by Avram Denburg and Steve Morgan You are the parent of a sick child. You have a limited budget and you must decide to buy the medicine the doctor prescribed for your child or provide food and shelter for your family instead. What do you do? Sadly this dilemma is one too