Sustainability of the Health Care System: Equitable and Timely Access to New Medications - Attainable Goals?

November 01, 2012 8:00 AM

LifeSciences BC Breakfast Speaking Event Featuring Health Economist, Dr. Aslam Anis, discussing: "Sustainability of the Health Care System: Equitable and Timely Access to New Medications - Attainable Goals?"

LifeSciences BC is pleased to welcome Dr. Aslam H. Anis as our keynote speaker for our next Breakfast Speaking Event. Dr. Anis is Professor at UBC’s School of Population and Public Health, Director for UBC’s Masters in Health Administration Program and Director of the Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcome Sciences.
Background

There is a lot of debate about the sustainability of the Canadian healthcare system. Since pharmaceutical expenditure growth has been identified as a major contributor to healthcare cost escalation and because community-based pharmaceutical coverage is excluded from the Canada Health Act, an inordinate amount of pressure is being applied to reign-in pharmaceutical costs. The popular wisdom being that uncontrolled pharmaceutical expenditure growth threatens the very sustainability of the public system in Canada. The flip side of the argument is that successful cost cutting is leading to slower approval and delays in gaining access to the newer and more expensive medications for Canadians. The solution is just as unpalatable as the original threat. This presentation will explore, from an historical perspective, major pharmaceutical policy initiatives, and contrast both the policies and their outcomes in Canada, as well as in other developed countries and comment on system sustainability.

Prior to Dr. Anis' presentation, representatives from Verisante Technology and MSI Methylations Sciences Inc. will introduce their respective companies to the local life sciences community.

Terminal City Club, 837 West Hastings Street, Vancouver - Metropolitan Room