Some stakeholders in the health benefits community believe that the cost of new (patented) medicines threatens the sustainability of prescription drug benefits in Canada. At the same time, cost concerns are encouraging drug plan sponsors to shift to plan designs that limit access to the most innovative treatments.
The Supreme Court of Canada has upheld Ontario’s ban on pharmacy chains from selling their own private label branded generic drugs. “If pharmacies were permitted to create their own affiliated manufacturers whom they controlled, they would be directly involved in setting the formulary prices and have strong incentives to keep those prices high,” the court […]
Drug plan costs are an ongoing concern for Canadian employers. Benefits Canada’s Face to Face Drug Plan Management Forum in Vancouver shows how plan sponsors out west are managing them.
On May 1, 2013 Medavie Blue Cross is adopting mandatory generic substitution on all of their existing insured small group business clients with 50 or fewer employees. Medavie Blue Cross joins Great-West Life and Sun Life in making generic substitution mandatory for plans.
Drug plan cost increases have levelled in recent years due to a large number of high-volume medications becoming available in a generic form and provincial drug reform driving down the price of generic drugs. At the same time, some insurance carriers have automatically implemented mandatory generic substitution policies on the majority of their plans (giving plan sponsors the option to opt out if they choose).
Small business owners in Nova Scotia will likely be saving money on their prescription drug costs this year.
Mylan Pharmaceuticals has launced a new online resource, called ChoosingGenerics.ca, to help Canadians learn about generic drugs.
Brian Mulroney is wading into the high-stakes debate over patent protection in the free trade talks with Europe, and he's clearly taking sides.
Just two years after legislation forced generic prices down 50% to 25% of brand for Ontario Drug Benefit recipients, prices may soon be cut even further.
A proposal for longer market monopolies by brand names could put a dent in generics savings, according to an analysis of Canadian retail prescription drug sales by the Canadian Generic Pharmaceutical Association (CGPA).