prescription

Friday July 25, 2024

Ontario's recent policy changes to expand pharmacists' prescribing powers and increase alcohol sales in private retail outlets reflect a shift towards privatization and deregulation, raising concerns about long-term public health and safety impacts despite the short-term conveniences offered.

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday July 25, 2024

The Risks of Privatization in Ontario’s Healthcare and Alcohol Distribution

Recent policy changes by the Ontario government under Premier Doug Ford mark a significant shift towards privatization and deregulation, raising concerns about long-term implications for public welfare. The expansion of pharmacists’ powers to prescribe medications for common ailments and the increased availability of alcohol in private retail outlets, such as grocery and corner stores, are touted as solutions to alleviate pressure on the public healthcare system and enhance consumer convenience. However, these moves may create more problems than they solve.

Expanding pharmacists’ powers to prescribe drugs for conditions like strep throat is intended to reduce the burden on family doctors and emergency rooms amid a severe shortage of healthcare providers. With around 2.5 million Ontarians lacking access to a family doctor, this measure appears to provide a quick fix. However, it overlooks the complexity and risks associated with diagnosing and treating medical conditions.

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Pharmacists, despite their extensive training, are not equipped with the same diagnostic tools or depth of medical training as doctors. They may end up prescribing treatments based on symptoms alone, potentially leading to misdiagnosis and inappropriate medication use. For instance, sore throats and rashes can have multiple causes, including viral infections that do not require antibiotics. Overprescription of antibiotics can lead to resistance and other health issues, underscoring the necessity of accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

Critics argue that this move is a step towards privatization, diverting patients from publicly funded healthcare to private sector solutions. It risks creating a two-tier healthcare system where access to care depends on one’s ability to pay, fundamentally undermining the principles of universal healthcare.

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The decision to expand alcohol sales to include convenience stores, grocery stores, and big-box retailers aims to provide greater access and convenience for consumers. However, this comes at a significant financial cost, with the government allocating up to $225 million to support this transition, including a substantial payout to The Beer Store to assist in the shift.

While this policy might seem beneficial for consumers, it raises questions about public health and safety. Increasing the availability of alcohol can lead to higher consumption rates, which are associated with a range of social and health problems, including addiction, accidents, and long-term health issues. The move also diverts significant public funds that could potentially be used to address pressing needs within the public healthcare system, such as improving access to family doctors and maintaining emergency services in rural areas.

These policy changes reflect a broader trend towards deregulation and privatization under the Ford government, prioritizing short-term solutions over sustainable, long-term strategies. While the immediate benefits of reduced wait times and increased convenience are appealing, they come with substantial risks and costs that may exacerbate existing problems.

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By shifting responsibilities from public institutions to the private sector, the government risks creating a fragmented healthcare system where the quality and accessibility of care are uneven and dependent on private market dynamics. This approach fails to address the root causes of issues such as healthcare provider shortages and underfunded public services, instead opting for quick fixes that may ultimately lead to greater inequities and inefficiencies.

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Young Doug Ford: The Series

Ontario’s move towards expanding pharmacists’ powers and privatizing alcohol distribution raises significant concerns about the long-term impacts on public health and welfare. These policies, while seemingly beneficial in the short term, may undermine the principles of universal healthcare and public responsibility, leading to a more privatized and potentially inequitable system. It is crucial to critically assess these changes and consider whether they truly serve the best interests of Ontarians or merely offer a temporary reprieve at a considerable future cost. (AI)

 

Thursday June 13, 2019

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday June 13, 2019

Advisory council calls for $15B universal, single-payer pharmacare plan

An advisory council appointed by the Liberal government is recommending the establishment of a universal, single-payer public pharmacare system.

The council’s 171-page report, released Wednesday, calls for the creation of a new drug agency that would draft a national list of prescription medicines that would be covered by the taxpayer, beginning with an initial list of common and essential drugs, by Jan. 1, 2022.

The council recommends that initial list be expanded to a comprehensive plan by Jan. 2, 2027. When fully implemented, the total cost would be $15 billion a year.

Dr. Eric Hoskins, a former Ontario health minister and chair of the advisory council, acknowledged there are “significant incremental costs” to building pharmacare, but he noted that those costs are already being picked up by Canadians.

“We are confident that the implementation plan that we have put forward is one that meets the objectives and requirements that were handed to the council, of creating a program and implementation plan that is fair and sustainable and accessible to Canadians,” he said.

The council proposes a $2 co-payment for common drugs and $5 for less common ones. The fee would be waived for Canadians on social assistance or with low incomes.

The council spent the last year studying various pharmacare models and hearing from more than 32,000 Canadians and organizations sharing their views online and through letters, written submissions and meetings across the country.

Hoskins said it’s time to show “courage and boldness” and to do “some nation building” on a project that would benefit Canadians in “unimaginable ways.” (CBC) 

 

Thursday July 26, 2018

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday July 26, 2018

National pharmacare ‘blueprint’ will be unveiled next spring

With more than 100 different public drug plans available across Canada, including Ontario’s recently scaled-back OHIP+, one challenge for a countrywide pharmacare program will be finding agreement on which one will work best, says Eric Hoskins.

Hoskins, the former Ontario health minister who helped usher in OHIP+ and is now in charge of developing a national plan, spoke to Canada’s premiers on Friday about the issue, the same day his advisory council launched wider public consultations online.

“There’s tremendous diversity” out there, he said, noting there are also more than 100,000 private drug plans in the country. A national pharmacare program will offer “the ability to have consistency across the country, so that a child in Ontario can expect to receive the same access to prescribed medications as a child in New Brunswick or in British Columbia or in the Northwest Territories,” he told reporters after the breakfast meeting at the picturesque Algonquin Resort.

“Changes are being made almost every day at the provincial and territorial level … (as they) try to improve access. We are trying to build consensus … so your access isn’t dependent on your postal code.”

Hoskins was joined by Linda Silas, president of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions. Eight of 13 premiers attended the Friday morning session; Doug Ford was not among them.

Hoskins said premiers who didn’t make it sent senior staff, and noted that he just last week met with Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott.

The big question premiers have is about a national pharmacare program is how much it will cost and the cost-sharing arrangement, both of which are still being worked out, he said.

Hoskins said a “blueprint” with full details on the model and pricing will be ready next spring.

Billions of dollars are wasted each year given the competing plans, he said, and a federal plan would see lower costs through efficiencies like bulk purchasing.

Currently, Canada spends the most per capita on prescriptions after Switzerland and the U.S. (Source: Toronto Star)