Public pharmacare briefing note for Members of Parliament

Public pharmacare briefing note for Members of Parliament BRIEFING NOTE Public pharmacare briefing note for Members of Parliament By the Council of Canadians SUBJECT: We need public pharmacare now SUMMARY • Inflation, sky-high drug prices, and inadequate drug coverage are imperiling Canadians’ access to medically necessary prescription drugs, forcing millions to choose between paying the rent, buy. [...] Public pharmacare will generate billions in savings relative to the status quo • The Advisory Council calculated that public pharmacare would save Canadians $5 billion per year in drug costs relative to the status quo, due to lower drug prices. [...] There is strong popular support for public pharmacare and a clear path to get there • The report of the Advisory Council on Implementing National Pharmacare lays out a clear and achievable path to implementing public, universal pharmacare over a five-year period. [...] • The Advisory Council also found “a surprising level of consensus” among both popular and expert opinion in favour of a public pharmacare system, rooted in “a strongly held, shared belief that everyone in Canada should have access to prescription drugs based on their need and not their ability to pay, and delivered in a manner that is fair and sustainable.” • Numerous polls before and since show. [...] • Raise the issue of public pharmacare at your next caucus meeting and discuss with colleagues and ministers the necessity of a pharmacare system that covers all Canadians, consolidates purchasing power, and lowers drug prices.