Silas: If implemented correctly, the foundation laid today will save countless lives.
February 29, 2024 (Ottawa, ON) – “Nurses and health care workers have long called for a national pharmacare program to ensure everyone in Canada has access to the medication they need. Today we celebrate a victory that has been years in the making,” said Linda Silas, President of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU). “Finally, we are laying the foundation for this urgently needed expansion to our public health care system.”
Today’s proposed legislation follows nurse and health care worker recommendations to implement a single-payer, universal and public pharmacare program.
“Our governments are finally getting the prescription right. I commend the Liberals and New Democrats for listening to nurses and establishing the framework we need to ensure everyone in Canada has access to the medication they need,” said Silas. “A universal and public approach to pharmacare is an approach that puts people over profits. Shortfalls in prescription drug coverage result in daily deaths and illness among people with treatable conditions – a grim fact we learned in CFNU’s 2018 study, Body Count. If implemented correctly, the foundation laid today will save countless lives.”
Coverage for prescription medications starts with birth control, diabetes medications and a fund for critically needed diabetic equipment.
“This is a historic win, and access to these medications will change lives. But I know this isn’t the full dose of pharmacare that Canadians need,” said Silas. “Canada’s nurses will be watching closely every step of the way to ensure our governments come through on their promise to expand coverage to include a comprehensive list of essential medications.”
The CFNU has been a staunch advocate for equal access to necessary pharmaceuticals since 1985.
-30-
The CFNU is Canada’s largest nurses’ organization, representing 250,000 frontline unionized nurses and nursing students in every sector of health care – from home care and LTC to community and acute care – and advocating on key priorities to strengthen public health care across the country.
For more information please contact Adella Khan, CFNU Communications, media@nursesunions.ca, 613‑807-2942.