Ottawa's readiness to increase drug coverage

Federal Health Minister Mark Holland announced in a meeting of one of the committees of the House of Commons, which is responsible for examining the Liberal government's bill on drug insurance, that the federal government is ready to add other drugs to the list of drugs covered by its drug insurance program. in response to the question of Stephen Ellis, the spokesman of the conservative party on medical affairs. Ellis asked the minister why the antidiabetic drugs semaglutide are not included in the list of covered drugs.

A bill introduced by the government last February would pave the way for a comprehensive drug insurance regime that would cover drugs and equipment for contraception and diabetes treatment. However, this bill does not include Ozpic. Ozempic is a new semaglutide diabetes drug that has recently been used as a weight-loss drug, despite warnings from experts. Mr. Holland said the current list is very limited and the government is prepared to expand based on its negotiations with the provinces. and recommendations of the parliamentary committee to add new drugs to it.

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