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October 7th, 2019

Another Study Highlights How Universal Pharmacare Will Help People Make Ends Meet

NDP will immediately bring in a universal, comprehensive pharmacare program in 2020

OTTAWA – Today, NDP candidate Don Davies (Vancouver Kingsway) is highlighting the release of a study done by St. Michael’s Hospital’s MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions that found that providing Ontarians with free access to essential medicines improves medicine adherence, control of blood pressure and control of diabetes.

The report also found that there is a large increase – from 33 % to 86% – in people’s ability to "make ends meet" and afford basic necessities such as food and rent when access to medicine is provided.

“Across Canada, people are having to make impossible choices every day – cutting pills in half, choosing between paying rent or filling their prescription, or going without the drugs they need altogether,” said Davies. “It doesn’t have to be this way. Trudeau’s Liberals could have chosen to stand up for Canadians and bring in drug coverage, but instead they listened to lobbyists and chose not to act. New Democrats will do the right thing and invest in Canadians' health.”

Even though experts say we could have better health care, lower costs, and savings for families, pharmacare has been stalled for years. The Conservatives spent a decade making the problem worse. And Trudeau’s Liberal government let big pharmaceutical and insurance companies keep charging Canadians some of the highest drug prices in the world.

“Justin Trudeau told Canadians he’d help, but behind closed doors, he listened to his insider friends. Canadians deserve better,” said Davies. “They deserve leaders with the courage to stand up to big pharmaceutical and insurance companies, and work for a solution that will make life better for everyday people. We know we can cover every Canadian through our public system, and save families more than $500 a year."

Jagmeet Singh and the NDP will fight to give every Canadian pharmacare coverage that puts an end to impossible choices – and makes life more affordable for all.