Minister Holland Talks Pharmacare

Minister Holland appoints a new PMPRB Vice Chairperson and touts the effectiveness of the pharmacare pilot program in P.E.I. On that, and more, here is your Syntax Weekly Health Round-Up.

On the Hill

• The House of Commons and the Senate are adjourned for the summer. The House is scheduled to return on Monday, September 18, while the Senate is scheduled to return on Tuesday, September 19.

Around Cabinet 

• As Ministers prepare to convene in Charlottetown for the first cabinet retreat following the most substantive changes to the cabinet since 2015, Minister of Health Mark Holland spent the week focused on pharmacare. First, Holland announced the appointment of Anie Perrault as Vice Chairperson of the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board (PMPRB) for a five-year term. Ms. Perrault has over 30 years of experience in the public and private sectors, including several positions in the genomic research and biotechnology sector.
• Minister Holland also made an early visit to Charlottetown where he joined P.E.I. Health Minister Mark McLane to tout the recent advancements in pharmacare that have saved Islanders over $675,000 in out-of-pocket costs on more than 77,000 prescriptions. Most notably, however, Minister Holland confirmed during media questions that it remains the government’s intent to table pharmacare legislation during the fall session.

Around the Dominion

• The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador announced it will implement all 32 recommendations made by the Provincial Surgical Task Force to reduce the current surgical backlog and surgical wait times in the province.
• P.E.I. Minister of Health Mark McLane joined Minister Holland to discuss the results of P.E.I.’s pharmacare pilot program. P.E.I.’s $5 copay program has reduced copays for almost 60 per cent of medications regularly used by Island residents for eligible medications used for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and mental health covered under the public drug programs. The High Cost Drug Program and the Catastrophic Drug Program have also been made accessible to more households.