Free access to essential medicines increases patient adherence by 35%, reduces healthcare costs
Free access to essential medicines increases patient adherence to taking medication by 35 per cent and reduces total health spending by an average of over $1,000 per patient per year, according to a two-year study that tested the effects of providing patients with free and convenient access to a carefully selected set of medications.
The findings, published May 21 in
PLOS Medicine, come as advocates urge Canada to carve a path toward single-payer, public pharmacare. Canada is the only country with universal healthcare that does not have a universal pharmacare program.
Free access to medicine increases the likelihood that patients will adhere to taking it and reduces total health spending, researchers of a new study say.
E-Mail
IMAGE: Dr. Nav Persaud, a scientist at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael s Hospital. view more
Credit: Unity Health Toronto
Free access to essential medicines increases patient adherence to taking medication by 35 per cent and reduces total health spending by an average of over $1,000 per patient per year, according to a two-year study that tested the effects of providing patients with free and convenient access to a carefully selected set of medications.
The findings, published May 21 in
PLOS Medicine, come as advocates urge Canada to carve a path toward single-payer, public pharmacare. Canada is the only country with universal healthcare that does not have a universal pharmacare program.
Winnipeg Free Press By: Hassan Yussuff, Doug Rothand Linda Silas Posted:
One in four Canadian households has difficulty finding the money to pay for medications.
Opinion
A silent health crisis is looming as more and more people struggle to pay for their prescription drugs.
Even before the pandemic, the statistics were staggering. About 7.5 million citizens one in five Canadians either did not have prescription drug insurance or had inadequate insurance to cover their medication needs. One in four Canadian households was having difficulty finding money to buy their medicines. One million Canadians cut spending on food and heat to afford them.
Healthcare, COVID-19 and vaccines were three of the big items discussed during a first Ministers meeting. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with the P.