ACCESS DELAYED, ACCESS DENIED

In a new report, the Fraser Institute measured the delays to access caused by Health Canada when certifying new drugs as safe and effective, as well as the length of time it takes provincial governments to agree to reimburse those drugs under public drug plans.:

• Wait times for Health Canada approval and reimbursement take about two years (1 year each approval, reimbursment).
• Public [government] drug plans only fully cover about 39 percent of drugs that are approved by Health Canada as safe and effective; down from 44 percent in 2004.
• Private drug plans generally offer full coverage for 100 percent of all drugs approved by Health Canada -- as soon as they are approved.

Fraser recommends replacing Canada's government drug programs with subsidized access to private insurance.

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