Province Reaches Tentative Agreement with Pharmacies

The province has reached a tentative agreement with pharmacies that paves the way for lower drug prices and will make life better for Nova Scotians enrolled in Pharmacare.

"This agreement is about fairness," said Health and Wellness Minister Maureen MacDonald. "We want to ensure that Nova Scotians enrolled in Pharmacare pay fair prices for their drugs and pharmacies are paid fairly for dispensing them.

"With this new agreement and our Fair Drug Pricing Act, we have a plan that does exactly that."

The new Fair Drug Pricing Act, which comes into effect July 1, means seniors and others covered by Pharmacare will start paying less for most drugs in the coming weeks.

Details of the agreement will be released after the Pharmacy Association of Nova Scotia shares it with its members and final approvals are received from government.

The province pays pharmacies to dispense drugs and other professional services to the more than 200,000 Nova Scotians covered by the Pharmacare program. These fees are set through the tariff agreement.

"We value our pharmacists and pharmacies, and I look forward to working with them as we bring in fair prices for generic drugs," said Ms. MacDonald.

"I recognize this was a difficult process. I want to thank pharmacists, pharmacy owners and the Pharmacy Association of Nova Scotia for working with us to reach this tariff agreement and provide uninterrupted service for those enrolled in Pharmacare."

The province's Pharmacare programs, which accounted for $300 million last year, include Seniors' and Family Pharmacare, Diabetes Assistance Program, Drug Assistance for Cancer Patients, Pharmacare benefits through the Department of Community Services, and Pharmacare benefits to residents of long-term care facilities younger than 65.