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8 in si de ha lto n. co m O ak vi lle B ea ve r | T hu rs da y, M ay 3 ,2 01 8 | CANADA MP Oliver pleased with tabling of national pharmacare strategy report Creating a universal drug program main reason Oliver entered politics JOHN BKILA jbkila@metroland.com Oakville MP John Oli­ ver said creating a national pharmacare program was the main reason he entered federal politics. The House of Commons standing committee on health (also known as HE- SA ) officially tabled its re­ port Wednesday, April 18 on a national pharmacare strategy, titled Pharma- care Now: Prescription Medicine Coverage for A ll Canadians. The report calls on the federal government to put into place a national, com­ prehensive and universal plan. " For me it 's simple, no Canadian should be denied access to necessary pre­ scription medicines be­ cause they can't afford it," said Oliver, who was also president and CEO of Hal- ton Healthcare for more than 20 years before he en­ tered into politics. " I saw first-hand the im­ mense need for pharma- care in Canada. We are the only country in the world with a national health-care system that does not also have a pharmacare pro­ gram, and that needs to change." According to a media re­ lease issued by Oliver's of­ fice, one in four Canadians cannot afford to fill or fin- ish filling their prescrip­ tions. For Oliver, he said that's an indication that some­ thing needs to be done. "When a single mother o f two has to decide be­ tween medication for her sick child or food on the ta­ ble, when a senior on a fixed income can't fill re­ quired medications, or when our nation's young adults don't have adequate medical insurance and can't afford medications for their chronic illnesses like insulin for diabetes, something must be done," he explained. "Again, no Canadians should be denied access to prescription medication due to affordability." The HESA report is the result o f a two-year-long study that received 31 writ­ ten submissions and heard from 99 witnesses, includ­ ing academics, pharma­ ceutical companies, health-care providers, the insurance industry, and economists from around the world. The report contains 18 recommendations, includ­ ing a single-payer, univer­ sal system covering all pre­ scription drugs, which would provide the best cov­ erage for Canadians, while also being the most cost-ef­ fective option, according to the release. Adopting a national pharmacare system would be the largest change to Ca­ nadian health care since the creation of national, universal medical care. "We are recommending • See 'NOW' page 21 if f .ST E V E N S O N W H E L T O N MacDONALD*SWAN LLP PERSONAL INJURY + M EDICAL MALPRACTICE Experienced Trial Lawyers Serving Oakville, Milton and Burlington M a j o r u n i v e r s i t y h e a r i n g s t u d y s e e k s p a r t i c i p a n t s . ^ /"S W Law ye rs .ca 905 .842.3838 1 5 4 0 C o r n w a l l R o a d S u i t e 1 0 6 , O a k v i l l e Connect Hearing, with hearing researcher Professor Kathy Pichora-Fuller at the University o f Toronto, seeks participants who are over 50 years of age and have never worn hearing aids for a hearing study investigating factors that can influence better hearing. All participants will have a hearing test provided at no charge. Qualifying participants may also receive a demonstration of the latest hearing technology. The data collected from this study will be used to further our understanding of hearing loss and improve life­ changinghearing healthcare across Canada. W h y p articip ate in th e h ear in g study? Hearing problems typically result from damage to the ear and researchers have spent decades trying to understand the biology behind hearing loss. More im portantly, researchers now realize the need to better understand how hearing loss affects your everyday life*. In this new hearing study, Professor Pichora-Fuller and her team are trying to find out how people learn to live w ith hearing loss and how new solutions could help these people take action sooner and live life more fully. It is estimated that 46% of people aged 45 to 87 have some degree o f hearing loss1, but most do not seek treatment right away. In fact, the average person with hearing loss will wait ten years before seeking help2. This is because at the beginning stages o f hearing loss people often find they can "get by" without help, however as the problem worsens this becomes increasingly harder to do. For some people this loss of clarity is only a problem at noisy restaurants or in the car, but for others it makes listening a struggle throughout the entire day. By studying people who have difficulty hearing in noise or with television, we hope to identify key factors im pacting these difficulties and further understand their influence on the treatment process. If you are over 50 years o f age and have never worn hearing aids, you can register to be a part o f this major new hearing study1, by calling: 1.888.242.4892 or visiting connecthearing.ca/hearing-study. * Pichora-Fu lle r M. K. (2016). How social psychological factors may modulate auditory and cognitive functioning during listening. Ear and Hearing, 3 7 ,92S-100S. t Study participants must be over 50years o f age and have neverworn hearing aids. No f ees and no purchase necessary. Registered under the College o f Speech and Hearing Health Professionals o f BC. VAC, WCB accepted. 1. Cruickshanks, K. L., Wiley, T L., Tweed, T S., Klein, B. E. K., Klein, R, Mares-Perlman, J.A., & Nondahl, D. M. (1998). Prevalence o f Hearing Loss in Older Adults in Beaver Dam,Wisconsin:The EpidemiologyofHearing Loss Study. Am. J. Epidemiol. 148 (9), 879-886. 2. National Institutes o f Health. (2010). Connect Hearing YOUR HEARING PROFESSIONALS mailto:jbkila@metroland.com