Next step in universal drug coverage should prioritize ‘essential medicines,’ says pharmacare expert

Focusing on a list of the most commonly prescribed clinically-important drugs could save billions of dollars, both directly in terms of drug budget, and indirectly in terms of improvements in health care, says Steve Morgan, a professor of health policy at the University of British Columbia.
Health Minister Mark Holland introduced Bill C-64, the Pharmacare Act, on Feb. 29, which proposes the foundational principles for the first phase of national universal pharmacare in Canada.

A next step in phasing in a national pharmacare program should begin with a list of “essential medicines,” according to Steve Morgan, a professor of health policy at the University of British Columbia, who described the choice of covering contraception and diabetes treat...

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