The national pharmacare that never was

The Pharmacare Act remains law. But legislation without implementation does not fill prescriptions. We passed a Pharmacare Act. We just never created pharmacare.

Health Minister Marjorie Michel, pictured. The Pharmacare Act did not actually create national pharmacare. It established a framework for Ottawa to negotiate bilateral agreements with provinces and territories, covering only specified diabetes medications and contraceptives, writes Marc-André Gagnon. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Opinion

BY MARC-ANDR&EACUTE; GAGNON

October 5, 2026

Canada remains the only country with universal public health care that does not provide universal coverage for prescription drugs—as if medicines somehow cease to be essential health care when patients leave the hospital.

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