by Morinville News Staff
The Government of Canada’s federal drug plans will join the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance (pCPA), an alliance that negotiates on behalf of provinces and territories to lower brand name and generic drug prices.
The feds say pCPA has completed more than 89 negotiations on brand name drugs since it was established in August of 2010 and achieved price reductions on 14 generic drugs, resulting in combined savings of more than $490 million annually.
“I am impressed and encouraged by the cost savings that the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance has achieved to date, and I am looking forward to working together to negotiate better prices for prescription drugs,” said the Honourable Jane Philpott, Minister of Health in a Health Canada release Jan. 19, adding making prescription drugs more affordable for Canadians is an important part of the government’s healthcare plans.”
The Government of Canada provides drug benefits to First Nations and Inuit, the RCMP, the Canadian Forces, veterans, federal inmates and refugee protection claimants through federal health plans, and spent $630 million in drug-related spending in 2014.
