Report from the Health Ministers’ meeting this week in Vancouver B.C.

 
VANCOUVER, January 20th, 2016 – Canadian Cancer Survivor Network President and CEO Jackie Manthorne and CCSN Health Policy Consultant  Louise Binder are in Vancouver for events taking place around Canada’s Health Ministers meeting.

Manthorne and Binder are meeting with several of the Provincial and Territorial Health Ministers to present oncology patients views on important issue being discussed at the Ministers’ meeting. 

Federal Health Minister Jane Philpott will join the annual meeting, the first time in a decade that the federal minister has attended. Patients see this as a very positive sign in possible alignment going forward with an inclusive approach that will come to include and value patient input. Federal participation, the patient groups feel, is especially important to a pan-Canadian program to negotiate lower prices for life-saving therapies.
Patient groups represented by Manthorne and Binder present three important issues:

  • Expanded drug access especially to low income persons
  • Equal access across Canada to the same medications without diminishing medications available
  • Access to new cancer treatments faster

What can you do?

  1. Contact your provincial Minister of Health to say you support the three issues, or the one most important to you;
  2. Stay tuned for more news on our Twitter feeds live from the Health Ministers meeting: @survivornetca
 
READ MORE:

B.C. health minister says feds to join province's bulk-buy drug alliance

Oncology Patient Groups Support Expanded Drug Access

Health Ministers' Meeting: Cancer Groups Support Improved Access for Cancer Patients Falling Between the Cracks