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New poll shows a large number of Canadians do not take all their medications as prescribed due to financial difficulties and also finds overwhelming support for a national pharmacare program.
Vancouver (16 July 2015) — A new poll, conducted by Angus Reid Institute and the Mindset Foundation, has found that a significant, and increasing, number of Canadians cannot afford medications being prescribed to them, resulting in many people not taking the dosage recommended by the doctor. The survey also found that 91% of Canadians support a national pharmacare program.
Cost is resulting in some not getting full benefit of meds
Almost a quarter of all Canadians (23%) report that in the last 12 months they have beenskipping doses, splitting pills, or simply not filling their prescriptions.
Furthermore, one in three Canadians said that they have friends or family who experience financial difficulty paying for their prescriptions.
Strong support for pharmacare
The survey also found that the vast majority of Canadians believe that “Every Canadian – regardless of income – should have access to necessary prescription medicine.”
The proposal to add prescription drugs to health care coverage was overwhelmingly supported. Nine in ten Canadians, from all provinces, age groups, education levels, and income levels, supported the concept of a national pharmacare program.
Canadians polled also expressed concern about the problems of governance and financing and preventing drug abuse.
According to the Mindset Foundation the last major survey on prescription drugs and cost was carried out in 2007.
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