Changes to Canada’s Patented Medicine Prices Review Board regulations have been postponed for a fourth time in two years as Canadians continue to pay some of the highest drug prices in the world.
Canada’s lack of pharmacare harms health in our communities, strains our health-care system and encumbers our economy. Parliament is out of excuses for not implementing a national drug plan.
Any pharmacare plan that aims to remove financial barriers to treatment and eliminate inequities should prioritize those who face the highest out-of-pocket drug costs, such as people with disabilities.
Nicole Hassoun, Binghamton University, State University of New York
The high cost of pharmaceuticals often means only the richest patients get lifesaving medicines. As coronavirus drugs emerge, it will require hard, creative work to ensure they’re available to all.
Studies repeatedly have shown that health care in general and the high cost of drugs in particular are among the top concerns of US voters. But with coronavirus, the issue may fade from prominence.
The Trump administration’s proposal to lower drug prices focuses on discounts. A health policy scholar argues that the US could learn from Europe’s system of measuring drug value and effectiveness.
The rising costs of generic drugs have led to outcries. In a search for solutions, four hospital systems are proposing to make drugs on their own. Could their idea work?