Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. MacLeod, I want to refer again to your report, where you say:
A national pharmacare system should provide coverage for drugs on a comprehensive, evidence-based complete list. Medicines should be selected for this list based on medical and cost effectiveness. New drugs will be evaluated using the same criteria before they are added to the formulary. In order to be patient-centred, this list should be ample enough that it provides sufficient flexibility to take into account individual patient circumstances. This list will include the drugs proven to be most suitable for all conditions, including rare and catastrophic diseases.
You go on to say, “This national pharmacare system should be provided through public insurance.... However, all essential, medically necessary drugs will be covered for all Canadians under the public system.”
You have further said that there's room for some private coverage to purchase optional private drug insurance. I'm interested in finding out what kinds of drugs would be covered under the private system, given the results of the panel's report.