For Immediate Release
September 21, 2006

Patient advocates weigh in on NPS progress report

Moving in right direction, but still shy on tangible solutions, patients conclude

Toronto, Ontario – – Reacting to today’s public release of the National Pharmaceuticals Strategy progress report, the Best Medicines Coalition (BMC) today announced that while it agrees with many of the general principles outlined, the report falls short in identifying specific policy options which will support the delivery of full and equitable access to medications for all Canadians. The BMC urges decision makers to quickly take this process to the next step, and to do so in a transparent, engaging manner, involving knowledgeable patients and consumers.

“Certainly pharmaceutical policy issues are extremely complex, as this report shows, but at the end of the day mechanisms which meet the needs of Canadian patients must be implemented not just discussed. We expect Canadians to have access to the highest standards of care, without undue hardship, and we need a national framework to make this happen,” said Louise Binder, chair of BMC, a national group of organizations, whose members represent some 10 million Canadians living with or affected by chronic diseases.

In its review of the report, the BMC welcomed some specific directions outlined and recommended by the task force, although it awaits timelines and implementation plans. Specifically, recommendations to strengthen real-world drug safety and effectiveness show substantial progress, representing an example of where meaningful stakeholder consultation has had a positive impact. Likewise, measures to open access to expensive drugs for rare diseases will be welcome.

However, in some aspects of the report the BMC urges decision makers to tread carefully as it considers recommendations. Specifically, proposed expansion of the Common Drug Review (CDR) raises concerns.

“In principle a one-stop process for all provinces to review drugs for public reimbursement plans makes sense, and we will continue to offer our input on refining this process. However, we caution against committing to the current CDR model, which in our view is inefficient and creates unnecessary delays in getting much needed medication to Canadians when they most need it,” Binder added. The CDR has been widely criticized by patient groups for its track record of recommending less than half of the drugs it reviews.

In addition, while the BMC is in agreement with the principles outlined in the section on catastrophic drug costs, including that of universality, equity and transparency, policy solutions presented fail to reflect those principles. The options outlined for either variable or fixed percentages of income thresholds are unrealistic and need to be carefully assessed so as not to place a financial burden on individuals and families with lower income, the BMC concluded. For example, the BMC believes a family income of just over $20,000, which is still below the poverty line in Canada, is far too low to start paying for significant drug costs.

“Our national pharmaceutical strategy must eliminate barriers to treatment and provide safe, timely and equitable access, while embracing concepts of patient involvement, transparency and accountability. The BMC expects meaningful consultation moving forward, and we believe that knowledgeable patients must be involved substantively in the decision-making process,” Binder added.

The BMC was formed in 2000 as a grassroots group of consumer and advocate organizations. The BMC is a broad-based alliance of organizations and individuals working in or promoting education, care, research and consumer-focussed advocacy on issues related to drug review reform, drug access and health policy development. The members of the BMC represent Canadians living with or affected by chronic disease or illness.

This communication regarding the NPS progress report was developed and endorsed by the BMC’s Operating Committee, a group of patient advocate representatives chosen by the organization’s larger membership.