Hundreds of pharmacists protested at the legislature Thursday, upset over the provincial government’s budget cuts that will see a change in the amount of money the province pays pharmacists for generic drugs.
Pharmacists are angry with the province’s new plan to cut drug costs by lowering price paid for generic drugs.
About 300 protesters – which included pharmacists and their supporters – took part in Thursday’s demonstration in Edmonton, chanting 'patients come first' and holding up signs which read 'government, let's work together to improve patient care' and 'pharmacists civil rights.'
Last month, the provincial budget revealed that the amount of money the province would contribute to pharmacies to pay for generic drugs would be lowered to 18 per cent down from 35 per cent – a drop pharmacists say is drastic.
The move is expected to save taxpayers $90 million a year but pharmacists are concerned with how the change will impact quality of care.
Pharmacists say the change will compromise pharmacists’ ability to care for patients, mean less counseling from pharmacists on health issues, longer wait times and more inconvenience for patients when filling or renewing prescriptions, more trips to doctors and more difficulty getting appointments, increases in adverse drug reactions and less effective medication therapy.
“You’re going to see drug shortages, you’re going to see some medications not available in Alberta anymore because they’re just not feasible to make them,” said pharmacist and protester Shane St. Arnault.
The province was originally going to reduce the amount of money it contributes to prescription drugs by 18 per cent from 35 per cent beginning April 1, but delayed the change to May 1 to help pharmacists transition to the change.
On Wednesday, the province announced it would pay out $40 million this year into services to help pharmacists adjust to the changes but pharmacists say that’s not enough.
Similar rallies were held today in areas across Alberta including in Calgary and Red Deer.
A website has also been set up outlining the issue called 'I care about my Pharmacist.'
