The Coalition for a Canadian Pharmaceutical Strategy brings together five organizations — the Best Medicines Coalition, Canadian Medical Association, Canadian Nurses Association, Canadian Pharmacists Association and Canadian Healthcare Association — who represent patients, health professionals, health system managers and trustees. Based on our knowledge and experience of the benefits and use of pharmaceuticals, we believe we can make important contributions to the development of a Canadian pharmaceutical strategy.

Introduction

Pharmaceuticals are important to the health of Canadians. For many patients prescription drugs and vaccines have prevented serious disease, reduced hospital stays, replaced surgical treatment and improved their capacity to function productively in the community, while at the same time often offsetting other potential health care costs. As patients become increasingly knowledgeable and politically aware, they will continue to expect and demand access to prescription drugs.

For some time, prescription drug expenditures have been growing faster than any other component of healthcare. It is realistic to expect that as the role of prescription drugs in health care increases, and as we close the “care gap” for untreated and undertreated patients, government expenditures on prescription drugs will rise accordingly.

Recognizing and accepting these realities, our Coalition has undertaken to outline the parameters it considers essential to any pharmaceutical policy or strategy developed in Canada.

To read the full Open Letter and Statement, click here [1] (PDF file).