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Articles on Medicines

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Canada spends more per capita on prescription drugs than most other OECD countries. (Shutterstock)

Why Canada should introduce universal drugs coverage

Canada is the only nation with a broad public health system lacking universal coverage for pharmaceuticals. Despite fears that pharmacare would be too costly, it could end up saving Canadians money.
Look for a warning on the box before you attempt to crush or chew tablets, or cut capsules open. Erin/Flickr

Health Check: is it OK to chew or crush your medicine?

Some people are incapable of swallowing tablets because of physical or psychological reasons. What should they do when the doctor prescribes a drug that comes in tablet form?
Insulin, which is used for controlling diabetes and has been in the market for 30 years, was the first biologic. Yusmar Yahaya/Flickr

Explainer: what are biologics and biosimilars?

Biologics are widely accepted as the most effective way of treating certain diseases. They have become the fastest-growing class of therapeutic compounds, with about 300 now available for human use.
Only recently has conversation about access to new drugs been moving to acknowledging the need for a community debate about affordability as well. pixxiestails/Flickr

Why the public should have a say in high-cost drug subsidies

Decisions about public subsidies for high-cost drugs are naturally quite complex. And while patients have increasingly been given a voice in the process, the views of the wider community have generally…
Food can prevent certain medicines being absorbed into the bloodstream. Bertalan Szürös/Flickr

Explainer: why must some medications be taken with food?

Have you ever been advised to take a medicine with food? How about taking a medicine with cola or avoiding grapefruit? Hundreds of medicines have food-related dosing instructions. With four out of five…

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