A significant public policy priority for the Government of Canada is ensuring comprehensive, timely, and equitable access to medication for rare diseases; as such, the Government of Canada has allocated $500 million annually to a national strategy for rare disease drugs. McKesson Canada is proud to contribute to this conversation, drawing on experience with patient support programs, pharmaceutical distribution, and specialty pharmacy services. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, it became clear that any return to 'normal' would only be possible once the majority of Canadians received vaccines. At the time, a COVID-19 vaccine existed only in the designs of biomedical scientists, and most did not anticipate a mass-market vaccine arriving for at least 18 months. In addition to developing the vaccine, the pharmaceutical sector had to conquer the challenge of manufacturing, transporting, storing, and administering billions of doses. 

The Government of Canada would like to develop a solution to ensure universal drug coverage for Canadians. This solution would mean all Canadians would have access to a comprehensive, affordable drug insurance plan regardless of their province of residence or financial situation. Where the coverage comes from is an important consideration, but what ultimately matters is that all Canadians can acquire the medicine they need regardless of their particular financial, geographic or health circumstances.