National drug program on agenda of Inverness session

‘Many people have to make decisions between their food and rent or other costs and their medications’

Almost every day in her practice as a family doctor in Wagmatcook, the cost of the medications that Dr. Monika Dutt is prescribing to her patients is an issue.

Canadians pay more for prescription medications than most other wealthy countries and Canada is the only country with Dutt a public health-care plan that does not include prescription drug coverage.

“I see that all the time, almost daily I have conversations with people about medications they can’t afford or haven’t been taking because they can’t pay for them or they ask about cost because they know they’ll get to the pharmacy and realize, ‘I can’t actually pay for that medication,’” Dutt said.

“Many people have to make decisions between their food and rent or other costs and their medications.”

She noted she often asks patients whether they have drug coverage and the answer influences what she is able to prescribe.

“I often now look up the price, which I didn’t used to do,” Dutt said.

She noted the tale of one teenager who wasn’t regularly taking his insulin in an effort to reduce costs for his parents. Other patients may opt for a cheaper version of a drug — a bloodthinner, for example — but that may bring with it potential for additional complications.

Dutt is past chair and is on the board of Canadian Doctors for Medicare which performs advocacy in favour of national pharmacare. On Saturday, she will speak at the Inverness Fire Hall at an event hosted by the Inverness Chapter of the Council of Canadians on “National Pharmacare: An unfinished piece of medicare.” She earlier spoke at a similar event for the south shore chapter of the council.

Discussion of a national pharmacare program is not new, Dutt said, noting it dates back at least as far as the Romanow Commission in 2002 and has been recommended by various advisory groups over the years.

“It’s not a new conversation, I’d say there probably is more momentum now but it’s really just adding to evidence and ideas that are already there,” Dutt said.

Multiple surveys have also shown that Canadians support the concept of a national pharmacare program, Dutt said. The federal government has also appointed a committee to look at its implementation, she added.

“We don’t know what their recommendations will be yet but hopefully it will truly be to say how we implement it,” Dutt said, adding there have been enough studies on the issue and it’s time for action.

A universal drug coverage program makes economic sense, Dutt said, noting a report last year from the parliamentary budget office indicated it would save $4.2 billion a year.

“The fact that we don’t purchase our medications as a country and do it piece-bypiece, province-by-province, plan-by-plan, it makes no sense at all, especially for a small province like Nova Scotia because we don’t have the buying power,” she said. “Of course, if you buy something in bulk at a large amount you get a better price.”

Dutt said it’s been demonstrated that about 10 per cent of Canadians don’t take certain medications due to cost. Canadian employers would also benefit by not having to include expensive drug plans in employees’ benefit packages.

Dutt’s presentation will take place Saturday at 3 p.m. at the Inverness Fire Hall, located at 15886 Central Ave. in Inverness.