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MP Strahl supports local resident’s e-Petition on access to life-saving medicines

Chilliwack- Local resident Jocelyn James’ petition to stop changes to the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board (PMPRB) has garnered the support of Chilliwack-Hope Member of Parliament Mark Strahl. James contacted MP Strahl to explain the devastating impact that a lack of access to new treatment was having on her family.

“New medicines can be a lifeline to those suffering from painful and debilitating illnesses for which conventional medicine has provided little help,” said MP Strahl. “The changes being made to the PMPRB in Ottawa could deny Canadians access to lifechanging therapies. For some it could result in premature death. That’s unacceptable.”

The PMPRB sets drug pricing guidelines. Those guideless are set to change on July 1st, 2020 and could result in new drugs being priced below the cost of research, development and production making it impossible to bring these new medicines to Canadians.

The proposed price restrictions have already stopped some new treatments from coming to Canada. In 2019, the number of clinical trials started in Canada declined by 40% compared to 2018.

“After hearing Jocelyn’s concerns, I committed to working with her to raise awareness of this issue through a petition to Parliament. I would encourage anyone concerned about access to new drug treatments to sign her petition,” said MP Strahl.

Those interested in signing the House of Commons petition e-2546 can do so at the following website:

https://petitions.ourcommons.ca/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-2546

The petition had garnered nearly 1800 signatures in the first 24 hours after it was first posted.

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