Lower cost drugs

Starting April 1, Saskatchewan people will be able to benefit from lower prices on six commonly used generic drugs.

In January, Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall and Premier Robert Ghiz of Prince Edward Island announced through the Council of Federation that Canadian provinces and territories are moving forward on price-setting for six of the most widely-used generic drugs. This initiative will realize close to $10 million in annual savings for Saskatchewan residents, private insurers and the provincial government.

"We know prescription medicine is expensive," Health Minister Dustin Duncan said. "Through this initiative, provinces and territories have together achieved the lowest generic prices to date in Canada. This means patients will be able to receive better value for the important drugs they rely on."

Participating provinces and territories have leveraged combined purchasing power and agreed to establish a price point for the six drugs at 18 per cent of the equivalent brand name drug.

These six generic drugs represent approximately 20 per cent of the publicly-funded spending on generic drugs in Canada. Currently, individual provinces and territories pay between 25 and 40 per cent of brand name prices.

"Our government recognizes there are impacts to community pharmacies as a result of this initiative," Duncan said. "We will continue working with pharmacies and pharmacists to identify opportunities to reinvest a portion of the savings into community pharmacy services. Pharmacists are important members of the health care team. We appreciate the important services they provide in their communities."

In recent years, the Ministry of Health has supported a number of significant initiatives and programs, including enhanced pharmacist prescribing services such as extending refills and prescribing for minor ailments, so pharmacists are able to work to their full scope of practice and provide important medication management services for Saskatchewan residents.

The six generic drugs to be priced at 18 per cent of brand are:

Atorvastatin - used to treat high cholesterol;

Ramipril - used to treat blood pressure and other cardiovascular conditions;

Venlafaxine - used to treat depression and other mental health conditions;

Amlodipine - used to treat high blood pressure and angina;

Omeprazole - used to treat a variety of gastrointestinal conditions; and

Rabeprazole - used to treat a variety of gastrointestinal conditions.