We Delivered Your Petition- Now Let's Open it Up to the Wider Canadian Public!

A fellow resident, Dr. Justine Spencer, and I were supported by the College of Family Physicians of Canada to spend 5 minutes with Dr. Jane Philpott in November at the Family Medicine Forum in Vancouver. There we delivered the petition on behalf of all those medical trainees whose signatures were collected up until then. At that time she had voiced points that are iterated in a recent interview on CBC’s The Fifth Estate: http://www.cbc.ca/fifth/blog/full-interview-with-minister-of-health-jane-philpott For full episode (January 13, 2017) see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqWR0sJkgBo&feature=youtu.be She indicates in this interview that “there is no question this is not right” and, “One of the first things that we need to do is recognize the fact that we pay among the highest costs for drugs in the world.” Later she say that the federal government is currently consulting Canadians on this. Let’s spread this petition to all corners of Canada and let the federal government know that we are well aware of the absurd prices that medicines cost in Canada. Let’s use this petition to demonstrate an awareness amongst all Canadians and call for action. Please share this petition on social media. Click here to share the petition on your Facebook wall: http://bit.ly/2iyTjXG. Click here to share this petition on Twitter: https://ctt.ec/z8nZd The federal government is sidestepping committing to a National Pharmacare Plan. Minister Philpott states that there are other priorities to fulfill her mandate designated by Prime Minister Trudeau. This includes installing regulatory changes to the way drug prices are set in Canada, and working with the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board. Share and sign to support Minister Philpott’s efforts on this front, but furthermore voice our expectation that the federal government commit to a Universal Pharmacare system in our future... through making this a priority, interim steps will have intention and purpose toward an ultimate paradigm that enables equitable medication access for all Canadians.