Position Statements

The Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA) upholds a set of values based in social democracy, social justice and environmental justice. These values guide HSAA in taking positions on issues that arise on an ongoing basis. Our position statements align with our mission, vision, values and strategic plan.

HSAA is affiliated with the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE), the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) and its subordinate bodies – the Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL) and the various District Labour Councils across Alberta.

To learn more about the mission and strategic plan that guide HSAA, click here.

On this page you can review the web version of our position statements. A PDF file can also be downloaded.

Position Statement 52 - Expansion of Medicare Umbrella - Pharmacare

HSAA will support and advocate for the investment in and expansion of Canada’s Medicare umbrella to include a national, comprehensive, single payer pharmacare program.

Rationale:

All Canadians should have equitable access to medically necessary prescription drugs and no Canadian should be financially disadvantaged by their health needs.

One in ten Canadians do not take their medicines as prescribed because of costs, affecting nearly one in four Canadian households.

Prescription drug costs are one of the fastest growing costs for Canadians and for our provincial health budgets.

By helping reduce problems of medicine underuse, overuse, and misuse, universal pharmacare could dramatically improve patient health while saving the health care system billions per year.

Approved at Convention May 2019