OTTAWA, June 13, 2019 — Improved patient outcomes is what health charities hope to see by implementing the recommendations outlined in the final report of the Advisory Council on the Implementation of National Pharmacare. The Health Charities Coalition of Canada congratulates the members Advisory Council on the Implementation of National Pharmacare on the release of their final report and thanks them for acknowledging the important role that patients have in providing valuable input to the process.
Individuals living with a disease bring a unique stakeholder perspective and their involvement in all aspects of program design, implementation and evaluation will help to ensure that a national pharmacare program will meet the needs of those it is intended to serve. Members of the Health Charities Coalition of Canada (HCCC) look forward to working with all levels of government as we connect patient leaders with new opportunities to provide patient representation through the Canadian Drug Agency on the Board of Directors, expert working groups and various review panels, says Connie Côté, CEO of HCCC.
“People within our communities have long faced the realities of not being able to access the prescription medicines that they need due to one barrier or another,” said Tammy Moore, Chair of the Health Charities Coalition of Canada. “We hope that the implementation of the recommendations as outlined in A Prescription for Canada: Achieving Pharmacare for all report will prioritize helping Canadians gain access to a range of prescription medications that will assist in improving health outcomes, whether they are affected by acute, chronic or episodic illnesses, including rare diseases.”
We are supportive of key elements within the national pharmacare program that will introduce a step-wise approach to pharmacare. We look forward to active participation in the creation of a Canadian Drug Agency informed by patient experience as well as a national strategy for expensive drugs for rare diseases.
About Health Charities Coalition of Canada
Founded in 2000, the Health Charites Coalition of Canada is a member-based organized comprised of national health charities and patient groups who represent the voice of patients at all levels of the health continuum. Our mission is to strengthen the voice of Canadians, patients and caregivers by promoting enhanced health policy and increased investment in health research. A full list of our members can be found at http://www.healthcharities.ca/membership/our-members.aspx
For further information:
Connie Cote
Telephone: 613-914-4622
Email: ccote@healthcharities.ca