ALL FOR THE LOVE OF "PAYOLA"

Its outrageous says Susan Eng. I think Shoppers is inappropriately using scare tactics. Back on April 8th, Shoppers CEO Jurgen Schreiber said consumers will end up paying the price with Traumatic service and staffing changes across the Province. According to a local article Rexall said it also would be looking at reassessing its operations and investments in Ontario. The same article quoted Bruce Draper, Chairman of the local Windsor/Essex chapter of CARP as saying Is it going to hurt the local population? AbsolutelyMany of our shut-ins will have to find a new way to have their needed drugs delivered if the drugstore puts a charge on deliveries.

Last Friday, at the Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce luncheon, Ontario Finance Minister Dwight Duncan said People are living longer, prescription drugs are becoming more and more expensive and we have to have a conversation about how to fund this. We have chosen not to close hospitals, we have chosen not to lay off nurses but we have chosen to do something about the cost of generic drugs. Pharmacies say the rebates from generic drug manufacturers have been a significant source of revenue, without which they wont be able to provide the services their customers have come to rely on. Engs response to that was Consumers should not fall for threats of their local pharmacy shutting down, pointing out that the Government plans to compensate pharmacists by increasing dispensing fees under the Ontario Drug Benefit Program and paying for the extra services they provide to patients.

Its important for people to know that all this will have a net benefit to consumersand they can look forward to the positive outcome. said Susan Eng. Is it possible that this Provincial Government initiative is a good move? Time will tell but for once I think they got it right.

© Seniors’ Life Magazine

Keywords: pharmacy, drugs, pricing, costs