Canadians for Equitable Access to Depression Medications (CEADM) are urging Canadians from coast to coast to coast to add their voices to a long list of mental health advocates who support making depression medications accessible to ALL Canadians.
Right now, innovative depression medications are only available to those on private health plans.
Galvanized by last week’s announcement by Ms. Jane Philpott, Minister of Health, who announced plans to develop a common national formulary that reflects patient-centred care, CEADM’s supporters are taking to social media to keep their issue at the forefront. CEADM members are urging others to contact their MPPS, MLAs and the federal Minister of Health to urge them to fix a broken system.
The online and email blitz began in earnest this morning. CEADM is asking its supporters to keep up the pressure throughout the day.
“Millions of Canadians are being left out of a system that is inequitable and unfair. These people are some of our most vulnerable — single parents, unemployed, seniors, veterans, Indigenous peoples, homeless. We are standing up for them, and asking that the system that decides which medications are covered under public health plans be fixed once and for all,” says Phil Upshall, a member of CEADM’s National Leadership Team and National Executive Director of the Mood Disorders Society of Canada.
“Until Canadians can access the medications that will enable them to become well, and productive members of society, the hardest hit and those with no private benefit plan will continue to be left out in the cold,” he adds.
Until the federal government addresses this important equity issue, CEADM plans to keep up the pressure.
For further information:
Joan Weinman
(613) 294-5679
