The federal minister in charge of promoting competition says he's concerned about a deal between
Industry Minister
Details were shared with plan holders earlier this month. Manulife said starting
It had previously also covered specialty drugs through national home and community health-care provider
"They don't get the message. We want more competition in this country," Champagne told reporters.
"We want more options. We want more choices, so that's not going in the direction we want to see."
The affected specialty drugs treat conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s, multiple sclerosis, pulmonary arterial hypertension, cancer, osteoporosis and hepatitis C.
Champagne said he hopes the companies will "get the message that we should always strive for Canadians to have choices."
A day earlier, NDP MPs
They said the arrangement could have "serious impacts … on both access to medication and competition within the pharmacy sector."
"Access to affordable prescription medications is already a major concern for Canadians," the letter stated.
"It is particularly troubling that people with these chronic or life-threatening conditions will now have fewer options to access the medications they rely on, especially in rural and remote communities."
But she confirmed the bureau is aware of Manulife's announcement and the letter signed by Davies and Masse.
"We are aware of concerns about restrictive trade practices in the retail pharmacy market, including conduct that forces Canadians to use specific pharmacies," she said in an email.
Fakiolas said the bureau is determined to promote competition in the health-care sector along with "greater choice and affordable access to medicine through increased industry scrutiny and by investigating allegations of wrongdoing."
"Should we find evidence of conduct contrary to the law, we will take appropriate action," she said.
Manulife has said the shift to an exclusive agreement would give patients "more options" to receive their specialty medications, with patients able to pick up drugs from a Loblaw-owned store or have them delivered to their home.
— With files from
This report by The Canadian Press was first published
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