Two sources with knowledge of the talks say if the parties reach a deal, they plan to begin by launching with a select few drug categories while they continue to formulate a more robust national drug plan.
The confidence-and-supply deal that sees the NDP supporting the minority Liberals on key votes in the House of Commons says the government will introduce a bill to create a framework for national pharmacare this year.
A group of grassroots NDP activists is planning to push for pharmacare to be a make-or-break element of the federal party’s supply-and-confidence deal with the Liberals at a policy convention next week.
Having the shingles vaccines publicly funded would save patients from unnecessary pain and save the healthcare system money, says pharmacist Ajit Johal.
Noticeably absent from the NDP leader’s recent speech, and from the 2023-24 spending plan, was any mention of one of his party’s biggest priorities: pharmacare.
