Pharmaceutical policy reform in Canada: lessons from history

Canada is the only country with a broad public health system that does not include universal, nationwide coverage for pharmaceuticals. This omission causes real hardship to those Canadians who are not well-served by the existing patchwork of limited provincial plans and private insurance. It also represents significant forgone benefits in terms of governments’ ability to negotiate drug prices, make expensive new drugs available to patients on an equitable basis, and provide integrated health services regardless of therapy type or location.

As published in Health Economics, Policy and Law Volume 13, Special Issue 3-4 (SPECIAL ISSUE: Canadian Medicare: Historical Reflections, Future Directions)