Toronto, February 29, 2024 – Today, the Government of Canada tabled its much-anticipated pharmacare plan.  The legislation, if passed, will help break down the affordability barrier that prevents many Canadians from accessing the medicines they need. The federal pharmacare plan has been of great interest to Canada’s Parkinson’s community and Parkinson Canada has engaged federal policymakers’ multiple times leading up to this announcement. We are pleased to see progress is being made on reducing drug pricing and increasing accessibility to medications.  

This is an important milestone, but legislation is just the first step. Parkinson Canada has been advocating to ensure Canadians living with Parkinson’s have access to safe and effective world-class medicines to not only manage symptoms, but to thrive. We will continue to advocate for access to essential Parkinson medication, such as Levodopa, and for expanding new Parkinson’s therapies and treatments. People living with Parkinson’s depend on affordable access to a comprehensive list of medications to live life on their own terms.  

“Canadians living with Parkinson’s rely on a diversity of medicines to help manage symptoms and improve their quality of life. Affordable, equitable, access to necessary medicines is a critical element of quality health care and today’s announcement offers hope that every Canadian living with Parkinson’s will soon be able to access the medicines they need to live a full and vibrant life without financial and geographical barriers,” says Karen Lee, President and Chief Executive Office of Parkinson Canada. 

Parkinson’s disease is one of the fastest growing neurological diseases in Canada and the Government of Canada must recognize that fact by ensuring key Parkinson’s medications are covered under a national pharmacare plan. Parkinson Canada will continue to work with all levels of government to ensure that universality, accessibility, comprehensiveness, portability, and sustainability are at the heart of pharmacare.