National pharmacare

Within the federal budget, the Liberals are appointing a group of advisers to explore a national pharmacare program to cover prescription drugs.

The provincial government launched free prescription drugs for people under the age of 25 in January but for the population that tends to need medication the most, its still costly.

As for the details of how a national pharmacare program will work, there are still many questions.

“I don’t think anyone is opposed to a national pharmacare, when you get down to the minutiae, what drugs are in, who pays for what, you pays for something else… that’s where it has always fallen apart in the past.” Marvin Ryder, DeGroote School of Business.

Canada is the only country with a universal health care system that doesn’t cover all prescription drugs.