Canadian Province's New Drug Plan Angers Pharmacists

29 May 1997

Pharmacists in Quebec, Canada have signed declarations that they willstop administering the provincial government's new drug insurance plan on June 30 unless the government revokes a decision to cut their dispensing fees.

The fee reduction is being imposed under Bill 104, a law passed in March allowing a 6% cut in salaries of government workers who have not agreed cost savings programs with the government. This would cut 42 cents from the C$7 ($5.50) which the pharmacists receive for each prescription covered by the government plan.

The pharmacists say they have in fact reached a cost-savings agreement, and that this was signed by the Health Minister on March 20, the day before Bill 104 was adopted. Moreover, the pharmacists say they have spent C$22 million ($16 million) of their own money on informing their customers about the new drug insurance plan.

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