Pharmacy Community Calls on the Government of Canada to Mind the Gaps in Access

TORONTO, Feb. 28, 2018 /CNW/ - The Neighbourhood Pharmacy Association of Canada (Neighbourhood Pharmacies) welcomes an evidence-based review involving robust consultation with pharmacy, as announced in 2018 federal budget, to examine pharmacare options. We look forward to working with the Advisory Council on the Implementation of National Pharmacare, chaired by former Ontario Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, Dr. Eric Hoskins.

According to the Conference Board of Canada:

• In 2017, the proportion of uninsured Canadians in Canada was 5.2 per cent with the majority without access to prescription drug coverage residing in Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador. As of January 1, 2018, with the introduction of OHIP+ in Ontario, this number has dropped to an estimated 1.8 per cent of Canadians.
• Less than 1 per cent of Canadians who received a prescription in the past six months cited cost as a reason for not taking their medication as prescribed. Of the surveyed Canadians who did not take their medications as prescribed, 54 per cent were not aware and 3 per cent were unsure if there were public drug programs to help pay for prescription drugs.
• Approximately 4.1 million Canadians who do not have private insurance and are eligible for public coverage do not enroll in the public plan.

In addition to closing the gap on national pharmacare, the Neighbourhood Pharmacy Association of Canada sees opportunities for collaboration and consultation on the following priority areas highlighted in Budget 2018: closing the gap on national pharmacare, expanding access to vaccines, ensuring appropriate use through the passage of cannabis legalization, and continuing to address the ongoing opioid crisis.

Justin J. Bates, CEO of the Neighbourhood Pharmacy Association of Canada, said:

"A successful national pharmacare program must expand access to appropriate medications without limiting choice for patients. This demands meaningful consultation with vital front-line partners essential to implementation, notably the pharmacy community. As part of the national conversation to close access gaps, Neighbourhood Pharmacies wants to ensure pharmacies and pharmacists can continuously optimize their expertise and contributions to Canadian healthcare – and to ensure the sustainability of our health system by providing enhanced services in each and every community served nationally.

"We recognize the federal government's new measures to combat the opioid crisis. In delivering on the Opioid Action Plan for Canada, we support closing the gap on prevention in at-risk communities by providing pain management services in pharmacy that address dependency and the prescription-based element of the crisis. This will complement current harm-reduction approaches offered in pharmacy, including provision of naloxone kits and enabling illicit drug users access to prescription treatments in high-risk communities through pharmacies."  

As the most accessible health and wellness providers, pharmacists can unlock greater value at the front lines of every neighbourhood across the country. This will take further pan-Canadian discussions that fairly involve all stakeholders. For example, providing comprehensive access to a range of vaccines through pharmacy remains an untapped opportunity to close the access gap and optimize primary care services. Canadians should be able to access vaccines where they live, work, and play, throughout their lifespans. Individuals and families are currently benefiting from the convenience and expertise of their local pharmacies, with nearly 30% of all flu vaccines in Canada administered by a pharmacist last year.  

Neighbourhood Pharmacies supports Health Canada's framing of the regulatory approach to protect public health through the passage of cannabis legalization. Almost 80% of Canadians turn to their neighbourhood pharmacist for trusted, professional healthcare advice. To ensure public health and safety, it is important that cannabis used for medical purposes be distributed and dispensed by pharmacists who, as highly-trained healthcare and medication experts, can help patients avoid drug-to-drug interactions. Pharmacists can evaluate the safety and appropriateness of cannabis for each patient, but can also evaluate the place in therapy of cannabis when the patients' entire medication regimen is considered. Only Canada's pharmacies have the capacity to electronically monitor their patients' complete medication history and, when clinically appropriate, reduce the risk of harm.

Said Bates, "Through Budget 2018, the federal government is taking impactful steps in addressing important healthcare issues. Neighbourhood Pharmacies looks forward to continuing to work with our partners in government, along with other stakeholders, to achieve results that will better the health, community vitality, and lives of all Canadians."

About the Neighbourhood Pharmacy Association of Canada:

The Neighbourhood Pharmacy Association of Canada represents the business of pharmacy and advocates for Canada's leading pharmacy organizations who deliver high value, quality care to Canadians in all models including chain, banner, long-term care, and specialty pharmacies as well as grocery chains and mass merchandisers with pharmacies.  Our focus is on improving the delivery of care environment for pharmacy, while fostering the right business conditions for business success.  By leveraging the over 10,000 points of care with pharmacies conveniently located in every neighbourhood across Canada, we aim to advance sustainable healthcare for all stakeholders.

SOURCE Neighbourhood Pharmacy Association of Canada

Aimee Sulliman, Senior Vice President, Public Affairs, Neighbourhood Pharmacy Association of Canada, [email protected], 416-226-9100 ext. 4006