CPhA outlines five priorities for the federal election

The Canadian Pharmacists Association (CPhA) is urging pharmacists to mention five federal election priorities when engaging with candidates in their ridings. “All of our priorities are reflective of the issues that pharmacists face at the counter every day but also the issues that they see their patients facing,” said Joelle Walker, CPhA’s vice-president of public and professional affairs. The CPhA is calling on federal election candidates to make commitments to: Create a national COVID-19 testing strategy similar to the COVID-19 immunization program that would give widespread access to at-home rapid COVID-19 tests. Make the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) exemptions permanent and amend the CDSA to recognize pharmacists as practitioners so pharmacists can provide safe opioid-related care and enhance access to safe supply programs. Improve access to prescription medications and healthcare services for Indigenous peoples through increased funding for the non-insured health benefits program. Implement a universal national pharmacare plan that has a mix of public and private plans. Address drug shortages with a clear action plan that aims to reduce the frequency of drug shortages and support healthcare professionals in managing drug shortages. The CPhA has created an “election toolkit” on their website, which provides talking points on the issues and recommendations on how to approach discussions. They urge pharmacists to speak to candidates about the CPhA’s election priorities at community events, when candidates canvas at the door or via social media. They also encourage pharmacists to share the CPhA’s election priorities via emailand to share personal stories and experiences as a pharmacist. “Ideally, they would speak to some of these priorities, but even if they just talk about what it’s been like for them to practice during COVID, to be a pharmacist, what it’s like to serve patients in the community every day, they’re going to leave an impression with the candidates and eventually, with Members of Parliament,” Walker said. The CPhA also reminds pharmacists that they cannot pay to advertise the issues unless they are registered as a third-party advertiser under the Elections Act. Read: Federal COVID rapid test program for small and medium companies now open for sign-up While four of the priorities existed in the last election, the call to provide a national COVID-19 testing plan is new. Walker said a national COVID-19 testing strategy will be important moving forward, as vaccinated people may still carry and transmit SARS-CoV-2. “The availability of rapid tests that people can administer regularly to themselves is going to be an important component of keeping Canadians safe, in addition to the other public health measures that we have,” she said. Rapid tests could be distributed at pharmacies and pharmacy staff are well-placed to educate about the use of the tests, Walker said. There are other issues other than the five highlighted, Walker noted. She cited the examples of expanding virtual care, ensuring Canada is prepared for the next pandemic, addressing the security of the drug supply chain, strengthening long-term care, and increasing domestic production of medicines and vaccines. Read: From staffing costs to OTC woes: the financial impact of COVID-19 on five Canadian pharmacies “For parties to think about how they are going to manage all of those different healthcare priorities, all of which cost money and how can they make the best use of their resources to make necessary changes to all of them,” she said. “Pharmacare is one of those targeted investments that can have a really important impact on people’s lives.” Some parties have already announced their platforms on pharmacare. The New Democratic Party (NDP) supports a single payer public pharmacy policy starting in 2022. Their plan includes an annual investment of $10 billion and a program to cover medications for rare diseases. The Conservative Party of Canada does not address pharmacare in their election platform, but does commit to increasing Canadian-based research and production of vaccines and pharmaceuticals. The Liberal Party of Canada has yet to release their platform on pharmacare but it is expected to follow commitments made in the 2021 budget for a shared national universal pharmacare. Whether this would be a single payer system or a mix of public and private is not yet clear. They had previously announced $500 million a year for medications for rare diseases and plans to establish a national formulary and a Canadian Drug Agency. The Liberal Party is also promising to increase student loan forgiveness for pharmacists who work in rural or remote communities and create a tax incentive for those who set up healthcare practices in those communities. Read: The lasting impact of pandemic care

CPhA outlines five priorities for the federal election

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