On November 15 and 16 of 2016, Drug Pricing Policy in Canada: Mobilizing Patients to Action (the Summit) was held in Toronto. The event stemmed from the collaborative efforts of the Canadian Cancer Survivor Network, the Save Your Skin Foundation and the Schizophrenia Society of Ontario, with the contributions of several volunteers, panellists and other collaborators.
The Summit offered a space for patients, patient advocates, caregivers and their groups from all disease and disability areas to come together and examine how they can meaningfully participate in and influence regulatory, public and private drug pricing policy processes in Canada. In addition to hearing recommendations and ideas from key stakeholders to inform and guide their discussions on these issues, participants worked to identify tangible strategies and action items in the short, medium and long term to shape drug pricing policy in Canada, and to make related processes more transparent, accessible and inclusive.
Ultimately, the Summit allowed patients, patient advocates, caregivers and their groups:
- To learn more about the current drug pricing policy landscape in Canada, its key players, and opportunities for change within this system;
- To engage in dialogue with varied stakeholders to identify shared issues and opportunities for collaboration;
- To begin developing a Blueprint for Action by identifying actionable items and next steps in the short, medium and long term, and by forming working groups to carry this work forward;
- To continue strengthening the individual and collective voices of patients, patient advocates, caregivers and their groups to be more meaningfully involved in and change the future of the drug pricing processes and policies in Canada.
To continue reading the Event Report, please click here.