Drug Pricing Policy Working Group
Media Release
For immediate release:
TORONTO, ON – In November 2016, over 40 patient groups met in Toronto for the first Drug Pricing Policy in Canada Summit. Hosted by the Canadian Cancer Survivor Network (@survivornetca) along with the Save Your Skin Foundation (@saveyourskinfdn) and the Schizophrenia Society of Ontario (@peace_of_minds), the two-day event 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.
After in-depth presentations by a variety of key stakeholders, attendees from over 40 groups formed working groups in order to determine main themes, such as ensuring patient engagement with varied stakeholders to identify shared issues and opportunities for collaboration; the need to create a ‘Blueprint for Action’ by identifying actionable items and next steps in the short, medium and long term; and the importance of continuing to strengthen the individual and collective voice of patients, patient advocates, caregivers and their groups to be more meaningfully involved in the future of drug pricing policy processes in Canada.
To develop tactics to move these themes into action, a group of Summit attendees continued working together after the Summit. Five different Drug Pricing Policy working committees were created (Public Reimbursement Plans, Private Reimbursement Plans, Pharmaceutical Industry, Patient Organization Liaison and Communications). These committees will continue to work throughout the year, and will reconvene in November 2017 for a second Summit to review progress and to set future goals.
The expertise of committee members ranges from health policy, drug policy, systematic treatment access and knowledge of specific disease issues. As such, they are available to assist in an understanding of, and to comment on, health and drug pricing policy issues that arise throughout the year.
One such topic of immediate interest is the content of the federal budget and the potential changes to the regulations pursuant to the Patent Act intended to moderate the price of certain new drugs entering the Canadian market. Louise Binder, Health Policy Consultant for the Canadian Cancer Survivor Network, will be in Ottawa on Budget Day (March 22) and will be available for comment. To reach Ms. Binder, please call 416-457-3179 or email louise.binder@rogers.com.
For more information regarding the 2016 Summit, including a formal report, copies of presentations that were made as well as videos of certain panels, please visit https://survivornet.ca/act/issues-affecting-cancer-patients/drug-pricing-policy-in-canada/.
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