Issue 4

Page 1

Vol. 104 No. 04

Box 40, 102 3rd Ave West, Biggar, Saskatchewan S0K 0M0

THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

email: tip@sasktel.net

Phone: 306-948-3344

20 pages

$1.25

www.biggarindependent.ca

Lower generic drug prices coming in April Saskatchewan people will soon benefit from lower generic drug prices The recent announcement that Canadian provinces and territories are moving forward on price setting for six generic drugs will realize an estimated annual savings of close to $10 million for Saskatchewan residents, private insurers and the provincial government.

The price setting announcement was m a d e Ja n u a r y 1 8 b y Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall and Prince Edward Island Premier Robert Ghiz through the Council of Federation. The two premiers led the Health Care Innovation Working Group, which recommended action on generic drug prices last summer.

“Saskatchewan is pleased to collaborate with other provinces and territories to realize significant cost savings on important drugs that patients rely on,” Health Minister Dustin Duncan said. “By working together, we can do more to bend the cost curve.” Participating provinces and territories will leverage c o m b i n e d p u r ch a s i n g power and have agreed to

establish a price point for six of the most common generic drugs at 18 per cent of the equivalent brand name drug. These six generic drugs represent approximately 20 per cent of the publicly-funded spending on generic drugs in Canada. Currently, individual provinces and territories pay between 25 and 40 per cent of brand name prices.

“Our government is mindful of the impacts to community pharmacies as a result of this initiative,” Duncan said. “We remain committed to working with pharmacies and pharmacists to identify opportunities to reinvest a portion of the savings into community pharmacy services.” The types of services pharmacists provide align with the goals of primary health care redesign by providing improved access to appropriate patient care and enhancing the patient experience with the health care system. In recent years, the Ministry of Health has supported a number of significant initiatives and programs, including enhanced pharmacist prescribing services, to enable pharmacists to work to their full scope of practice and to provide important medication management services for Saskatchewan residents. “We look forward to ongoing collaboration with pharmacies and pharmacists to ensure Saskatchewan residents continue to have access to safe, effective and affordable medications

and the important services provided by pharmacists in their communities,” Duncan said. The new prices are to be in effect by April 1, 2013. The six generic drugs to be priced at 18 per cent of brand are: • Atorvastatin - used to treat high cholesterol; • Ramipril - used to treat blood pressure and other cardiovascular conditions; • Venlafaxine - used to treat depression and other mental health conditions; • Amlodipine - used to treat high blood pressure and angina; • Omeprazole - used to treat a variety of gastrointestinal conditions; • Rabeprazole - used to treat a variety of gastrointestinal conditions. In May 2011, the Saskatchewan government announced its plan to lower generic drug prices in the province through a phased-in approach. Generic drug prices in Saskatchewan prior to May 2011 were in the range of 50 per cent to 70 per cent of the brand name prices. Most generic drug prices in Saskatchewan are now 35 per cent of brand name drugs.

Tuning those voices as ‘The Wiz’ readies for production . . . New Creation Community Players (NCCP) practice at St. Gabriel School, Sunday, getting ready for their upcoming musical production, ‘The Wiz’, set to run at the Biggar Majestic Theatre this March. Tickets are currently on sale for the popular musical theatre troupe. (Independent Photo by Kevin Brautigam)

Nothing like a win . . . Biggar Novice Nationals pile on their netminder, celebrating a last minute goal to push them over the visiting Dodsland Stars, 7-6, January 17. Nats led 4-0 after one, 5-2 after two, but then watched as a surging Stars pushed them to the last minute. The Nats pulled it out, however, and as you can see, were pretty happy about it all! (Independent Photo by Kevin Brautigam)


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