URGENT UPDATE: Manulife's recent concession is a calculated attempt to get us all to back off their plans to bring American style healthcare profiteering to Canada.  The problem is 'Preferred Provider Network' deals - and this concession keeps these corporate profit contracts alive. We can not let up!!!

Recently Manulife and Loblaws agreed to a highly profitable deal that would prevent you from getting certain prescription drugs, particularly the expensive life-saving drugs, from your local pharmacist.  Our pressure has made them recant this one element of the American styled 'Preferred Provider Network' contracts.

Preferred Provider Networks are a solid step towards letting corporations control our Healthcare system and reap ridiculous profits at the publics' expense - and mostly at the expense of the those struggling to survive with chronic illnesses and fighting horrific battles such as cancer. These PPN's are anticompetitive and hurt both access and cost for Canadian Health Care.

The Corporate game plan is to maintain their right to these contracts that provide massive financial benefits to corporations and allow them to begin to dictate healthcare in Canada.

HEALTH CARE IN CANADA SHOULD BE FREE AND ACCESSIBLE!

This recent contract is not the first of its kind to quietly slide American healthcare profiteering north of the border.  Other Insurance companies including Blue Cross have contracts already in force, touting lower prescription prices costs, from which we fail to benefit.

These exclusivity deals are known as Preferred [pharmacy] Provider Programs. They are common in the United States and a key reason why people can not afford healthcare in the US.  In many cases it's a'pay or die' system, and the cornerstone to this dystopian system.

As a cancer survivor, I relied heavily on my local pharmacist who was a critical part of my care team. She was a part of my community and insured that the dozens of drugs being prescribed by my multiple specialists were carefully managed, readily available, and safely administered. My community pharmacist even facilitated home delivery and taught my care providers how and when to administer all these drugs. We need unfettered access to care and drugs.

As it was, many of my drugs were very expensive and my health plan dictated whether they felt I should get the prescribed drugs.  Some mornings it was a choice between a day of extreme pain or swallowing a $105.00 pill my doctor recommended, and my insurance company refused. A corporation became the gatekeeper for my healthcare.

In concert with PPN's insurance companies deny not only procedures but lifesaving drugs, based on maximizing profits.  Recently I was denied funding access to a migraine medication (Ajovy) by Teva Pharmaceutical who worked in concert with my health insurance provider to maximize their profits at the cost of my health.  

The strategies to profit off of our health care are endless and collectively are sounding the death toll of socialized medicine in Canada unless our governments acts fast. 

PPN's are but one critical move by big corporations to maximize profits at the expense of quality healthcare, and even our lives. Your signature is needed to stop 'preferred pharmacy/partnerships' (PPN's) that attack our healthcare system and remove your rights.

This huge deal by two large corporations, Manulife and Loblaws means we need to act fast before thousands of Canadian lives are impacted  Please sign and share now to protect our right to get our prescriptions where it is safest for us - our community pharmacist!

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