Dear One & All,

The Green Party’s platform, Smart Economy, Strong Communities, True Democracy is based on a 100+ page document, titled Vision Green, that tackles a number of drug-cost related issues without getting into much detail about what a national catastrophic drug coverage plan might look like.

Page 70 of Vision Green hints at reducing drug costs through elimination of all industry-sponsored advertising on prescription drugs, (Canada already bans US-style mass-marketing so I’m not sure what more can be gained here) and calls for a vaguely defined "public inquiry into the rising costs and over-prescription of drugs". The Greens propose the creation of a new crown corporation dedicated to purchasing and dispensing. They are also pushing for a less commercial and increasingly evidence-based approach to pharmacare. Elizabeth May’s team specifically outline intent to "study the feasibility of establishing a national pharmacare program that ensure that effective pharmaceuticals are available to all Canadians who need them".

A number of candidates weighed in via Twitter to expand on the Green Party’s vision on this issue:

"Control costs with Universal Pharmacare Program-bulk drug purchasing agency, shorten drug patent protection times" – Christine Guillot, Green Party Candidate, Nickel Belt, via Twitter

Nicholas Lescarbeau, candidat du Parti vert du Canada dans Chambly-Borduasa partagé ce lien, qui expliquent que Les Verts veulent un régime national d’assurance-médicaments: http://t.co/hrpajlk

"Cncr big Prob here fr pollution; pg66 of Vision Green; ie-new crown corp bulk purchase/public inquiry into the rising costs" – David J Cox, Green Party Candidate, La Pointe-de-L’Ile via Twitter

As with the Liberals, the Green Party’s platform outlines a number of high-level strategies for arriving at a national approach to catastrophic drug coverage, and specifically touches on the need for increased use of evidence-based decision making on drug treatment decisions. Again, I will be curious to see additional detail because translating these ideas into action is in many cases beyond the span of control of government. The danger is that the specific commitment to a national catastrophic drug plan – which has broad support from provincial governments, charities, patient groups and professional organizations – will get lost within a longer debate about the complex issues related to drug pricing, advertising, bulk purchasing etc … where there is no clear agreement about the way forward.

What do you think about the Green’s platform as it relates to catastrophic drug coverage? Tell us via Twitter or Facebook.

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