OTTAWA — The federal health minister told reporters Wednesday that he has asked the Senate to move as quickly as possible to pass the government's drug benefits bill so Canadians can have access to medicines by next spring.
The Pharmaceutical Benefits Bill, drafted by the Liberal and New Democratic Parties, passed the House of Representatives in June but still needs to be debated in the Senate.
The idea is to make birth control and diabetes medications available to anyone with a prescription and health insurance card as part of a universal single-payer system.
“My goal is to see these drugs in every state, every territory by April 1 of next year. That's my goal,” Holland said.
“So I'm saying to the Senate: I appreciate their process, I understand they need to have a rigorous process, but I ask that they move as quickly as possible.”
With the next election due in autumn 2025, the Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme is expected to be a key feature of both the Liberal and New Democratic Party campaigns.
Holland said only once the bill receives royal assent can formal negotiations begin with provinces and territories to administer the program, but he is not waiting to start talking to provincial and territorial officials about what that arrangement might look like.
“After that, we would like to see these drugs distributed immediately,” Holland said.
Provinces such as British Columbia and Prince Edward Island, which already cover many of the drugs that would be offered, have expressed enthusiasm for Ottawa's proposed program.
But both Alberta and Quebec have signaled their intention to withdraw from the federal anti-drug program and seek equal funding instead.
The Liberal Party has budgeted $1.5 billion over five years for the program.
The bill the senators will consider also lays out principles that would guide a full-fledged, universal, single-payer pharmaceutical health care system in the future.
The bill gives a one-year deadline to develop a national list of essential medicines and begin consultations with states on expanding the medicines provided under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
The Canadian Drug Agency also has one year to come up with a strategy for bulk purchasing of medicines to lower drug costs.
Senators have already given the bill a second reading, but it still needs to be considered in committee. The Senate is scheduled to meet for one more week before recessing for the summer, but the committee has not yet scheduled a meeting.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 19, 2024.
Laura Osman, The Canadian Press
