By Chantal Wagner

Patients given 6 months to transition

Changes to Alberta’s drug coverage

Dec 13, 2019 | 4:43 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – The Alberta government is changing drug coverage which will involve more than 26,000 patients.

The change is expected to save the government up to $380-million over the next 4 years.

Chief Pharmacist at Greg’s Remedy’s RX Greg Bueckert says he understands the worry and concern from patients, being medicine and prescriptions are so personalized.

But he says this change will save money and will expand the program to more people.

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Bueckert says we saw this in 1988 when the government switched from brand names to generics – this time around they are calling them biologics and biosimilars.

“They’re slightly different products but they have the same result, same effectiveness. This started in 2006 in Europe and is now coming to Canada. There’s a lot of history behind it. It’s effective and cost-saving,” he said.

According to Bueckert, patients will essentially see no side effects with this change.

“There are some instances, where much like the regular generic drugs, where some people cannot take them or do not get the same effect. But that is very rare and a small percentage,” he said.