FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OTTAWA, ON March 20, 2019 — The Health Charities Coalition of Canada (HCCC) applauds the Federal Government’s commitment to supporting the health of Canadians by allocating 35m$ for the establishment of the Canadian Drug Agency which will oversee the development of a new national formulary of prescribed drugs and provide additional support for Canadians with rare diseases. “No Canadian should have to face the challenge of not being able to afford medically necessary prescription medicine,” said Tammy Moore, Chair of the Health Charities Coalition of Canada. “The funding support announced yesterday is an important step towards a national pharmacare program that will enable Canadians to have affordable access to medically necessary medicines that provide optimal care, whether they are affected by acute, chronic or episodic illnesses, including rare diseases”.
Recent studies have shown that while majority of Canadians have access to prescription medicines under the current mix of private and public insurance, approximately 22% of prescription drug costs are still paid for out of pocket by patients. This initiative represents a unique opportunity to assist Canadians in improving access to necessary prescription medicines while addressing the financial burden that many Canadians are faced with.
“Health charities look forward to working with all levels of government as we move towards implementing a national Pharmacare program and ensuring that patients do not lose access to any prescribed therapies during this transition” said Elisabeth Baugh, HCCC Vice-Chair and CEO & President of Ovarian Cancer Canada.
“Patients are well positioned to provide valuable input on the development of a comprehensive, evidence-based list of prescription drugs that will meet the needs of Canadians. Our members look forward to working with key stakeholders in ensuring that Canadians are able to access the prescription medicines that they require,” said Connie Côté, CEO of HCCC.
Members of the Health Charities Coalition of Canada wish to express their thanks and gratitude to the Honourable Minister of Finance, Bill Morneau and the members of the Standing Committee on Finance for their work in preparing this year’s budget. HCCC members look forward to integrating the perspectives of patients and the health charity sector as we work with the Federal Government to implement these investments.
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.
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For inquiries:
Nkeonye Aniagu
Health Charities Coalition of Canada
613-809-1551