Canadian Generics Campaign In Quebec

The Canadian Drug Manufacturers' Association, representing the genericsindustry, has launched a radio advertising campaign in Quebec, encouraging consumers to ask their physicians and pharmacists about generic alternatives to their branded drugs.

The campaign has been designed to coincide with the introduction of Quebec's new mandatory drug insurance program on January 1. The program now covers anyone who was not previously enrolled in a government or private plan, but also requires many people who had previously received their drugs free of charge to start contributing to their drugs' costs.

The CDMA notes that at 8.5%, generics account for a small share of Quebec's annual C$1.52 billion ($1.14 billion) drugs budget, compared with 18.8% in British Columbia, 18.4% in Atlantic Canada and 15% in Ontario. This low level, it says, is due to the fact that while every other Canadian provincial drug plan pays for only the cheapest available product, Quebec's health insurance agency, the Regie de l'Assurance-Maladie du Quebec, continues paying for branded drugs until they are 15 years old, and continues to pay for older drugs until at least three competitor products arrive on the market.