Dr. Sarah Gander: Pharmacare can't leave children behind

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Recently, the federal government introduced Bill C-64, An Act Respecting Pharmacare, which proposes the foundational principles for a Pharmacare program and the government’s intent to cover contraception and diabetes medications. While this is great progress toward universal, single-payer coverage of medications in Canada, I worry children are being left behind. As a pediatrician, I know children and youth face intolerable wait times for essential health care. Thirty four per cent of my practice is without a primary care provider. The consequences can affect the child’s entire life trajectory. Lack of access to medications can make these wait times even worse.

I work in a community where one in two children live below the poverty line. A child might wait a year to see me in my clinic, and then not even be able to access the recommended medications. Even those on social assistance might not be able to access the medication if it is not listed on the provincial formulary’s “white card.” As such, the ask of clinicians is to offer second- and even third-line medications because they are what the family can afford.

Parents are having to decide between paying for medications or paying for food, rent or heat. It is estimated in my clinic that almost half of my patients have some difficulty accessing medication due to one or more of these barriers. A broader list of medications on the formulary can save hundreds of hours of physicians’ administrative burden and paperwork, which allows us to focus on caring for patients and seeing them faster.

I am excited that some of my patients may be able to access contraception and diabetes medications soon because of Bill C-64. But I have so many more patients suffering from other chronic and common conditions, like asthma or attention deficit disorder, who will still have to pay for their expensive medications. They don’t have time to wait for an incremental approach to expanding the national formulary.

As a proud supporter of the Canada Health Act, I believe action must be taken to ensure all Canadians have universal access to medications, regardless of their ability to pay or have insurance. We need to make sure children’s health needs and fundamental rights are not forgotten in these big moments of progress in Canadian health care. Article 24 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child states: “The child has the right to the highest attainable standard of health care, with emphasis on primary health care, the development of preventive health care.”

Ignoring the needs of children results in an unhealthy society. Children are not just our future, they are our today, and the have the right to have access to care. No more reports, no more commissions, they all have said the same thing – we can do it – we have to do it – a full national Pharmacare program for all Canadians.

Dr. Sarah Gander is a pediatrician and board chair of NB Social Pediatrics Inc