Skip to content
Ontario Rheumatology Association
  • Login
  • Login
  • About
    • Overview
    • Organizational Priorities and Committees
    • Leadership
    • Annual Awards
  • Events
  • EAP & Limited Use Codes
    • Overview
    • Exceptional Access Program
    • EAP Forms and Downloads
    • Limited Use Codes
    • Biosimilar Fact Sheet
    • NIHB Drug List
    • MOHLTC IVIG Request Form
  • Informatics
    • Rheumatology EMR Database at ICES
  • Members
    • Overview
    • Member Directory
    • Peer Mentor Forum
    • Resource for Members
    • Become A Member
    • Renew Membership
    • Membership Perks
  • News
    • Overview
    • Drug Shortages Info
    • Newsletters
    • Other Publications
    • Info Hub
  • Contact
  • Directory
  • Login
  • About
    • Overview
    • Organizational Priorities and Committees
    • Leadership
    • Annual Awards
  • Events
  • EAP & Limited Use Codes
    • Overview
    • Exceptional Access Program
    • EAP Forms and Downloads
    • Limited Use Codes
    • Biosimilar Fact Sheet
    • NIHB Drug List
    • MOHLTC IVIG Request Form
  • Informatics
    • Rheumatology EMR Database at ICES
  • Members
    • Overview
    • Member Directory
    • Peer Mentor Forum
    • Resource for Members
    • Become A Member
    • Renew Membership
    • Membership Perks
  • News
    • Overview
    • Drug Shortages Info
    • Newsletters
    • Other Publications
    • Info Hub
  • Contact
  • Directory

Canada’s Drug Scene: National Pharmacare, Drug Shortages and More

Denis Morrice • Edition: Summer 2018
Denis Morrice

National Pharmacare: Dr. Hoskins is now on a roll with the National Pharmacare initiative! He has selected his impressive Advisory Council with a very busy consultative process which will ensure Canada wide input from every healthcare and public constituency concerned with access to medication.

Check out: https://canada.ca/Pharmacare and find “Advisory Council on the Implementation of National Pharmacare” and start by scrolling down and reading ‘Discussion paper’ under “For more information”. You will appreciate the political dynamics and the challenges that the Council will have to confront. I’m sure the Council will appreciate your feedback to the major questions being asked in their survey – you are living with the drug issues every day.

Let’s at least get some Principles in place e.g. universal coverage based on medical need, equity across Canada, therapeutic options, timely access, lower cost for all…let the politicians and bureaucrats finger out how to meet these principles.

Drug Shortages: It’s a global issue and in Canada it is getting worse. Drug shortages usually last about 4 to 5 months; however, Myochrisine as an example is expected to be available by September 2019. All Canadians are impacted one way or the other – Patients re: stress and health, Doctors, Pharmacists re: time and cost; Tax payers re: cost of hospital visits, etc.

It is worth noting that 70% of the shortages are for generic drugs and we are experiencing approximately 1,000 per year – fortunately many are for very short periods of time – some not. There are many committees across the country trying to address the issue especially the Health Canada Multi Stakeholder Steering Committee (MSSC) consisting of pharmaceutical companies, pharmacy associations, distributors, hospitals, CMA, etc. However, no solution in sight so get ready to deal with more shortages. (I am now on the MSSC so please send me your suggestions for a real solution)

pCPA: The pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance is going through a consultative process on their guidelines that will explain exactly how they work and the process they go through to recommend the listing of a medication which of course is still up to each Drug Program to list. Their guidelines are being presented as a ‘living document’ that is to be improved by the input from the various stakeholders. So when it becomes public be sure to comment.

HC, CADTH, CDR and PMPRB: Health Canada, Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health, Common Drug Review and the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board are also going through reviews of their operations and looking to be more aligned with the one another.

Other Articles in the Summer 2018 Newsletter

  • ORA Meets with pCPA and CHLIA
  • Post a Locum or Apply for One!
  • OMA Section on Rheumatology Report
  • Communication Update
  • Emerging Rheumatologists of Ontario (ERO) Committee
Editions
  • Winter 2021
  • Fall 2020
  • Summer 2020
  • Winter 2020
  • Winter 2019
  • Fall 2019
  • Spring 2019
  • Winter 2018
  • Fall 2018
  • Summer 2018
  • Summer 2017
  • Spring 2017
  • Fall 2017
  • Archive
  • Meet the Speakers: ORA 20th Annual Scientific Meeting
Committees
Communications Informatics Models of Care OMA
Tags
Biosimilar CSDTH Models of Care OBRI OMA pCPA SADIE

Contributors

The ORA’s executive members are the core contributors to the newsletter. The ORA welcomes guest contributions to the newsletter from members-at-large and others in the rheumatology community.

Contributors
Ontario Rheumatology Association

© 2020 Ontario Rheumatology Association. All Rights Reserved. Website by Digital Chaos Inc.

  • About
  • Annual Awards
  • Events
  • EAP & Limited Use Codes
  • Exceptional Access Program
  • EAP Forms and Downloads
  • Limited Use Codes
  • Biosimilar Fact Sheet
  • NIHB Drug List
  • MOHLTC IVIG Request Form
  • Informatics
  • Members
  • Member Directory
  • Past Meeting Resources
  • Peer Mentor Forum
  • BecomeA Member
  • Renew Membership
  • News
  • Newsletters
  • Drug Shortages Info
  • Other Publications
  • Info Hub
  • Contact
  • Privacy