Senate Passes Liberal, NDP Pharmacare Bill Covering Diabetes and Birth Control

Oct 11, 2024, 12:15 AM

The federal pharmacare bill, which aims to cover diabetes and birth-control medications, is set to become law after being passed by the Senate without any changes. The bill, backed by the Liberal and NDP parties, marks a significant step towards universal pharmacare in Canada. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has highlighted this as 'real progress' and urged provincial premiers to start negotiating deals to implement the program. Despite being seen as a necessary first step, some advocates argue that the bill falls short of its promise of universality. Senator Frances Lankin noted, 'This is not universality. But it is the first step towards universality.'