Drugs Could Be An Election Issue For Canada

In Canada's next General Election, which could be as soon as June,pharmaceuticals could become a major issue, with a possible election promise to include drugs as part of Medicare. The incumbent Liberal government has said it is considering offering voters a C$2 billion ($2.43 billion) national "pharmacare" program as a way of combating the escalating cost of medicines.

The idea is backed by the generics industry, whose trade body, the Canadian Drug Manufacturers Association, has said it would want to be involved in implementing the plan. The research-based drugmakers also support the concept of pharmacare as part of the overall health system, said Judy Erola, president of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Canada.

Ms Erola noted, however, that most Canadians already enjoy drug coverage and, while the PMAC backs the principle, "the devil is in the detail." For generics firms, CDMA president Brenda Drinkwalter has stressed that the pharmacare program would require a significant change in Bill C-91 on generics, to allow more freedom to copy brand-name drugs.