B7 Pharmacare: More for Less_Michael McBane

Pharmacare: More for Less.

Michael McBane Health Coalition

Canadian

Disclosure: No Commercial Support Presenter Disclosure Presenter:

Michael McBane

Relationships with commercial interests: • • • •

Grants/Research Support: None Speakers Bureau/Honoraria: None Consulting Fees: None Other: None

Our values Health as Public Good Keep people healthy

Integration & Teamwork Protect the vulnerable

Values in conflict Health as Public Good

Health as Commodity

Keep people healthy

Profit from illness

Integration & Teamwork

Fragmentation & Competition

Protect the vulnerable

Exploit vulnerability

True or False  The cost of prescription drugs here in Canada are about average compared to countries in Europe. Raise your hand: T or F ?

 Canada is the only industrialized country that has universal health insurance but not universal public drug coverage. T or F?

 Over 20% of people in Ontario don’t have any kind of drug coverage. T or F?

The Problem  23% of Canadians lack affordable access;  Rx costs are 30% above international average;  220,000 hospital patients had serious ADRs and 10,000 deaths, 4th to 6th leading cause of death; *

 Rx use driven by advertising not evidence. * Lazarou, J., JAMA, 1998

The Problem  Most severe for low income people without employer health benefits

 Public & private drug benefit plans under increasing cost pressures

 Non adherence due to cost ends up costing healthcare system more

 Need to extend public health benefits in Ontario beyond social assistance recipients

6

The Opportunity  Leadership on expanded access to prescription drugs can come at provincial level

 Ontario has played a leadership role in generic drug pricing

 Ontario is in good position to keep expanding prescription drug coverage to improve health outcomes and save significant amounts of money.

7

Definition ď‚— Pharmacare means a national drug insurance plan that would be publicly funded and administered, control costs, provide universal access for everyone to prescription drugs and ensure the safe and appropriate use of drugs.

ď‚— Pharmacare would cover medically necessary drug costs in the same way that Medicare now covers hospitals and physicians.

Universal Pharmacare‌ 1. Replace U.S.-style plans with universal, first-dollar coverage 2. End the price-fixing and public subsidies of Big Pharm 3. Establish a National Formulary 4. Bulk Purchasing and negotiate competitive pricing 5. Pay only for drugs that are safe and cost-effective 6. Improve prescribing and use appropriately 7. Enforce a complete ban on advertising and off-label promotion

9

How to save $10 billion a year.

Amlodipine, a common drug used to reduce blood pressure, is manufactured by an Ontario company, Apotex.

What Drugs to Cover?

12

Quebec lesson: Co-pays + deductibles Hospitalization MD visits

E.R. visits

Elderly

+ 35%

+13%

+50%

Welfare recipients

+194%

+22%

+106%

13

It’s Time for Pharmacare 1. Universal & Equitable Access 2. Safe & Appropriate Use 3. Cost-controls & Affordable

Take Action  Join the Campaign! Sign up at: www.healthcoalition.ca

 Get informed: www.pharmacare2020.ca

 Talk to your family, friends & co-workers

 Contact your MPP & MP

Next steps for Canadians “Democracy is the thing that lets ordinary people do extraordinary things. There isn’t anything we can’t accomplish if we set our minds to it.”

- Tommy Douglas

IT’S TIME FOR PHARMACARE Canadians can’t afford not to have it.

16