Posted by Michael Wonder on 11 Aug 2019
Drug policy experts accuse industry and patient groups of 'fearmongering' with concerns about new drug pricing rule
11 August 2019 - Industry groups and patient advocates are raising concerns about the federal government’s new drug-pricing rules, claiming they will limit access to much-needed drugs and discourage drug companies from investing in Canada.
But drug policy experts say the changes, which the government estimates will yield savings of $13.2 billion over the next decade, are long overdue, and argue that pharmaceutical companies are simply fearmongering to protect their bottom line.
Canadians currently pay among the highest patented drug prices in the world, behind only the United States and Switzerland. On Friday, Ottawa unveiled a suite of regulatory changes intended to help the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board (PMPRB), a quasi-judicial body intended to shield Canadians from excessive drug prices, to make patented medicines more affordable.
