Over 300 health professionals and academics have backed a letter sent to Justin Trudeau on the need for federal leadership on pharmaceutical drug coverage.

Every developed country with a universal healthcare system provides universal pharmaceutical drug coverage…except Canada. The problems associated with Canada’s incomplete patchwork of private and public drug plans – including widespread barriers to accessing prescribed medicines, significant financial burdens on patients with chronic disease, and much higher drug costs than comparable countries – have received considerable attention in recent years.

The best solution to these problems for Canada is a universal, comprehensive, public drug plan that is appropriately integrated into our universal system of hospital and medical insurance. This form of universal “pharmacare” – working in conjunction with our “medicare” system – has been repeatedly recommended by commissions on Canada’s healthcare system dating all the way back to the 1960s. Despite this, Canada has not yet established such a policy.

The change in government at the federal level, combined with supportive governments in many provinces, create a window of opportunity for this long awaited reform to occur.

As such, physicians involved with Canadian doctors for Medicare and researchers involved with Pharmacare 2020 collaborated with myself and Dr. Danyaal Raza, in drafting a letter to Prime Minister Trudeau asking him to put this reform at the top of the agenda for federal, provincial and territorial negotiations on improving the quality of Canada’s healthcare system.

We thought perhaps a few of our peers would want to join their efforts. We were wrong.

Over the course of just seven days, our letter to the Prime Minister had been circulated to health professionals and policy experts across Canada. By the time we sent the letter this week, over 300 health professionals and policy experts had joined as signatories.

The list of signatories includes:

Signatories from every province

More than 150 physicians, pharmacists, and nurses

10 recipients of the Oder of Canada

11 Canada Research Chairs

Over 225 signatories are professors from 34 universities across Canada

Here’s the letter — full list of signatories at the bottom:

Dear Prime Minister Trudeau:

Congratulations on becoming Canada’s 23rd prime minister.

Over the course of the election campaign and in the weeks following your victory, there have been many important discussions about Canadian identity and our core values. Among the values that Canadians most support in poll after poll are those embodied in our medicare system: particularly, a belief that all residents of Canada should have access to quality health care.

We are health professionals and health policy researchers concerned, as you are, with the state of Canada’s universal health care system. Soon, your government will be engaging Canada’s premiers and ministers of health in discussions about a new health accord. We hope universal pharmacare will be at the top of your agenda for those discussions.

Here’s why.

Pharmaceuticals are so essential to health and well-being that the World Health Organization has declared that all nations should ensure universal access to necessary medicines. Consistent with that recommendation, every developed country with a universal health care system provides universal coverage of medically necessary prescriptions except Canada.

Unlike any comparable country, Canada’s universal public health care system effectively ends as soon as a patient is handed a prescription to fill.

Millions of Canadians have no drug coverage at all and millions more have coverage that is inadequate to ensure access to medicines. As a result, almost one quarter of Canadians report they or members of their household have not taken medicines as prescribed because of costs.

It is well documented that financial barriers to necessary medicines result in worse health for patients. They also result in unnecessary increases in the use of hospital and medical care.

National standards for universal coverage of medically necessary prescription drugs would therefore satisfy a central goal of pharmaceutical policy: ensuring all Canadians have equitable access to necessary care. Instituting such standards would bring Canada up to par in the developed world. Guided by best available evidence, such coverage would also foster safer, more appropriate use of medicines – potentially making Canada a world leader in the quality of medicine use.

Ensuring universal access to medically necessary prescription drugs is not only the ethical thing to do, it can also be the economically responsible thing to do. Research shows that a universal, public pharmacare system – one coordinated across provinces in ways similar to how federal, provincial, and territorial governments purchase vaccines and blood supply products – would achieve equity of access goals while saving Canadians between $4-billion and $11-billion per year.

Indeed, comparable countries that integrate drug coverage into their universal, public health care system achieve more equitable access to medicines at far lower total cost than Canada spends on our system today.

Canadians support public coverage for medicines of proven value-for-money in our health care system. A recent national survey by the Angus Reid Institute found that a vast majority of Canadians (87%) support adding prescription medicines to Canadian medicare. This support exists “across the board” in terms of regions, age groups, incomes, and education levels. Universal, public pharmacare is also supported by health professions, unions, policy experts, businesses, citizens groups, health charities, health executives, municipalities, and provincial governments.

Your campaign promised a better Canada including a federal government that will not let problems of the past persist when there is an opportunity to improve the lives of Canadians.

Pharmacare is the unfinished business of the Canadian healthcare system. Your government is in the fortunate position to expand medicare’s public mandate to include prescription drugs, and ensure a sunnier future for all Canadians as a result. You can count on our support as you plan a course for doing so.

Yours sincerely,

Julia Abelson, PhD

Professor, Department of Clinical Epidemiology & Biostatistics

McMaster University

Hamilton, Ontario

Elia Abi-Jaoude, MD, MSc, FRCPC

Staff Psychiatrist, Department of Psychiatry, The Hospital for Sick Children

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Tracie Afifi, PhD

Associate Professor, Departments of Community Health Sciences and Psychiatry

University of Manitoba

Winnipeg, Manitoba

Farah Ahmad, MBBS, MPH, PhD

Associate Professor, School of Health Policy and Management

York University

Toronto, Ontario

Silvia Alessi-Severini, PhD

Associate Professor, College of Pharmacy

University of Manitoba

Winnipeg, Manitoba

Sara Allin, PhD

Assistant Professor, Status-Only, Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Aslam Anis, PhD, FCAHS

Director, Centre for Health Evaluation & Outcome Sciences, Providence Health Care; Professor, School of Population and Public Health

University of British Columbia

Vancouver, British Columbia

Kelly Anthony, PhD

Teaching Fellow, Applied Health Sciences

University of Waterloo

Waterloo, Ontario

Paul Antze

Associate Professor emeritus, Department of Social Science

York University

Toronto, Ontario

Pat Armstrong, PhD

Professor, Department of Sociology

York University

Toronto, Ontario

Yukiko Asada, PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Community Health and Epidemiology

Dalhousie University

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Peri Ballantyne, PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Sociology

Trent University

Peterborough, Ontario

Morris Barer, PhD

Professor, Centre for Health Services and Policy Research, School of Population and Public Health

University of British Columbia

Vancouver, British Columbia

Maude Barlow

National Chairperson

The Council of Canadians

Ottawa, Ontario

Steve Barnes, MA

Director of Policy

Wellesley Institute

Toronto, Ontario

Jan Barnsley, PhD

Associate Professor, Institute of Health Policy, Management & Evaluation

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Francoise Baylis, PhD, FRSC, FCAHS

Professor and Canada Research Chair in Bioethics and Philosophy, Faculties of Medicine & Arts and Social Sciences

Dalhousie University

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Ahmed Bayoumi, MD, MSc, FRCPC

Professor, Department of Medicine and Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Michaela Beder, MD, FRCPC

Psychiatrist, St Michael’s Hospital; Lecturer, University of Toronto

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

François Béland, PhD

Professor, Department of Health Administration, Ėcole de santé publique

Université de Montréal

Montréal, Québec

Warren Bell, MDCM, CCFP, FCFP

Family Doctor

Salmon Arm

Salmon Arm, British Columbia

Philip Berger, O.ONT, MD, CCFP, FCFP, FRCPC (Hon)

Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Anne-Emanuelle Birn, ScD

Professor of Critical Development Studies and Social and Behavioural Health Sciences

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Pierre Biron, MD, MS

Honorary professor of medical pharmacology

Université de Montréal

Montréal, Québec

Lise M. Bjerre, MD, PhD, MCFP

Assistant Professor, Department of Family Medicine

University of Ottawa

Ottawa, Ontario

Charlyn Black, MD, PhD

Associate Director, School of Population and Public Health

University of British Columbia

Vancouver, British Columbia

Regis Blais, PhD

Professor, Department of Health Administration, School of Public Health

Université de Montréal

Montréal, Québec

Gary Bloch, MD

Assistant Professor

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Katherine Boothe, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science

McMaster University

Hamilton, Ontario

Roxane Borgès Da Silva, PhD

Associate Professor, Faculty of Nursing

Université de Montréal

Montréal, Québec

Stephen Bornstein, PhD

Director, Centre of Applied Health Research

Memorial University of Newfoundland

St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador

Ivy Bourgeault, PhD

Professor, Telfer School of Management and Institute of Population Health

University of Ottawa

Ottawa, Ontario

Mylaine Breton, PhD

Assistant Professor, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science

University of Sherbrooke

Sherbrooke, Québec

Marni Brownell, PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Community Health Sciences

University of Manitoba

Winnipeg, Manitoba

Mariana Brussoni, PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, School of Population and Public Health

University of British Columbia

Vancouver, British Columbia

Stirling Bryan, PhD

Director, Centre for Clinical Epidemiology & Evaluation

University of British Columbia

Vancouver, British Columbia

Toba Bryant, PhD

Assistant Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences

University of Ontario Institute of Technology

Oshawa, Ontario

Michael Butler

National Health Campaigner

The Council of Canadians

Ottawa, Ontario

John Calvert, PhD

Associate Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences

Simon Fraser University

Burnaby, British Columbia

Debra Cameron, PhD, MEd, BScOT, OT Reg.

Assistant Professor, Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Bruce Carleton, PharmD

Professor, Department of Pediatrics

University of British Columbia

Vancouver, British Columbia

Nicholas Carleton, PhD, RD Psych

Department of Psychology

University of Regina

Regina, Saskatchewan

Alan Cassels, CD, MPA

Adjunct Faculty, Faculty of Human and Social Development

University of Victoria

Victoria, British Columbia

Timothy Caulfield, LLM, FRSC, FCAHS

Professor and Canada Research Chair in Health Law & Policy, Faculty of Law

University of Alberta

Edmonton, Alberta

Roger Chafe, PhD

Director, Janeway Pediatric Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine

Memorial University of Newfoundland

St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador

An-Wen Chan, MD, DPhil, FRCPC

Associate Professor, Department of Medicine and Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Ben Chan, MD, MPH, MPA

Assistant Professor, Institute for Health Policy, Management & Evaluation

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Fiona Chan, BScPharm, RPh, MSc Cand.

Pharmacist; Graduate Student

University of British Columbia

Vancouver, British Columbia

Neena Chappell, PhD, FRSC, FCAHS

Canada Research Chair in Social Gerontology

University of Victoria

Victoria, British Columbia

Claudia Chaufan, MD, PhD

Fulbright Research Chair 2015

York University

Toronto, Ontario

Vaughn Chauvin, BScPhm, CGP, RPh

Lecturer, Pharmacist, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences

University of British Columbia

Vancouver, British Columbia

Helen Chen, PhD

Assistant Professor, School of Public Health and Health Systems

University of Waterloo

Waterloo, Ontario

Robert Chernomas, PhD

Professor, Department of Economics

University of Manitoba

Winnipeg, Manitoba

Niteesh Choudhry, MD, PhD

Associate Professor, Harvard Medical School

Harvard University

Boston, USA

Jon Church, PhD

Professor, Faculty of Medicine

Memorial University of Newfoundland

St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador

Donna Ciliska, RN, PhD

Professor Emeritus, School of Nursing

McMaster University

Hamilton, Ontario

Eyal Cohen, MD, MSc

Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Health Policy, Management and Evaluation

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

André-Pierre Contandriopoulos, PhD

Professeur émérite, Département d’administration de la santé

Université de Montréal

Montréal, Québec

Damien Contandriopoulos, PhD

Professor, Faculty of Nursing

Université de Montréal

Montréal, Québec

Yves Couturier, PhD

Professeur titulaire, École de travail social

Université de Sherbrooke

Sherbrooke, Québec

Tony Culyer, CBE, BA, FRSA, FMedSci

Adjunct Professor, Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Tamara Daly, PhD

CIHR Research Chair in Gender, Work & Health, Faculty of Health

York University

Toronto, Ontario

Jamie Daw, MSc

Doctoral Candidate

Harvard University

Boston, USA

Raisa Deber, PhD

Professor, Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Nicole Dedobbeleer, ScD

Professor honoraire, Département d’administration de la santé

Université de Montréal

Montréal, Québec

Dianne Delva, MD, CCFP, FCFP

Chair, Department of Family Medicine

University of Ottawa

Ottawa, Ontario

Avram Denburg, MD, MSc, FRCPC

Pediatric Oncologist, Hospital for Sick Children; and 2015 Trudeau Scholar

McMaster University

Hamilton, Ontario

Michael Dettman, MD, ABEM, FRCP(C)

Physician, Vancouver Hospital Emergency Department, Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine

University of British Columbia

Vancouver, British Columbia

PJ Devereaux, MD, PhD, FRCPC

Professor, Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics

McMaster University

Hamilton, Ontario

Livio Di Matteo, PhD

Professor, Department of Economics

Lakehead University

Thunder Bay, Ontario

Alba DiCenso, CM, RN, PhD, FCAHS

Professor Emeritus, School of Nursing and Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics

McMaster University

Hamilton, Ontario

Lisa Dolovich, PharmD, BScPhm, MSc

Professor and Associate Chair, Research, Department of Family Medicine

McMaster University

Hamilton, Ontario

Katie Dorman, MD, MSc, CCFP

Family Physician

Weeneebayko General Hospital

Moose Factory, Ontario

Naheed Dosani, MD, CCFP

Palliative Care Physician, William Osler Health System; and Assistant Clinical Professor

McMaster University

Toronto, Ontario

Jocelyn Downie, SJD, FRSC, FCAHS

Professor, Faculties of Law & Medicine

Dalhousie University

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Michelle Driedger, PhD

Canada Research Chair in Environment and Health Risk Communication

University of Manitoba

Winnipeg, Manitoba

Joel Dubin, PhD

Associate Professor, Statistics & Actuarial Science and School of Public Health & Health Systems

University of Waterloo

Waterloo, Ontario

Isser Dubinsky, MD,CCFP(EM)

Associate Professor, Department of Family Medicine, and Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Monika Dutt, MD, MBA, MPH, CCFP, FRCPC

Adjunct Professor

Cape Breton University

Sydney, Nova Scotia

Brenda Elias

Associate Professor, College of Medicine

University of Manitoba

Winnipeg, Manitoba

Rachel Engler-Stringer, PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Community Health and Epidemiology

University of Saskatchewan

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Mahyar Etminan, PharmD, MSc

Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences

University of British Columbia

Vancouver, British Columbia

David Feeny, PhD

Professor of Economics and Member of the Centre for Health Economics and Policy Analysis

McMaster University

Hamilton, Ontario

Katherine Fierlbeck, PhD

McCulloch Chair of Political Science, Department of Political Science

Dalhousie University

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Colleen Flood, LLB (Hons), LLM, SJD

Director, University of Ottawa Centre for Health Law, Policy & Ethics

University of Ottawa

Ottawa, Ontario

Conchita Fonseca, MD, BSc, CCFP-EM

Family Physician

Ottawa

Ottawa, Ontario

Lisa Forman, LLB, MA, SJD

Canada Research Chair in Human Rights and Global Health Equity

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Katherine Frohlich, PhD

Professeure Titulaire, Département de médecine sociale et préventive

Université de Montréal

Montréal, Québec

Marc-André Gagnon, PhD

Associate Professor, School of Public Policy and Administration

Carleton University

Ottawa, Ontario

JM Gamble, PhD

Assistant Professor, School of Pharmacy

Memorial University of Newfoundland

St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador

Denise Gastaldo, BScN, MA, PhD

Associate Professor, Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing and Dalla Lana School of Public Health

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Robert Gendron, PhD

Professor, BioMedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine

Memorial University of Newfoundland

St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador

Elaine Gibson, LLB, LLM

Associate Professor of Law

Dalhousie University

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Frédéric Gilbert, PhD, MBA

Professeur, Département d’Organisation et ressources humaines, École des sciences de la gestion

Université du Québec à Montréal

Québec, Québec

Sarah Giles, MD, CCFP(EM), DTM&H

Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Family Medicine

University of Alberta

Edmonton, Alberta

Liane Ginsburg, PhD

Associate Professor, School of Health Policy & Management

York University

Toronto, Ontario

Rick Glazier, MD, MPH

Professor, Family and Community Medicine

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Ritika Goel, MD, MPH, CCFP

Lecturer, Department of Family and Community Medicine

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Paula Goering, RN, PhD

Professor, Department of Psychiatry

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Laurie Goldsmith, PhD

Assistant Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences

Simon Fraser University

Burnaby, British Columbia

Rachel Gorman, PhD

Assistant Professor, School of Health Policy and Management

York University

Toronto, Ontario

Carolyn Gotay, PhD, FCAHS

Professor and Canadian Cancer Society Chair in Cancer Primary Prevention, School of Population and Public Health

University of British Columbia

Vancouver, British Columbia

Daniel Grace, PhD

Assistant Professor, Dalla Lana School of Public Health

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Janice Graham, PhD

Professor, Faculty of Medicine

Dalhousie University

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Michael Green, MD, MPH, CCFP

Associate Professor, Departments of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences

Queen’s University

Kingston, Ontario

Samantha Green, MD, CCFP

Family Physician and Lecturer, St. Michael’s Hospital

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Devon Greyson, MLIS, PhD

Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Pediatrics

University of British Columbia

Vancouver, British Columbia

Allan Grill, MD, MPH, CCFP

Assistant Professor, Department of Family & Community Medicine

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Jeremy Grimshaw, MBChB, PhD, FRCGP, FCAHS

Professor, Department of Medicine

University of Ottawa

Ottawa, Ontario

Paul Grootendorst, PhD

Associate Professor, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy and School of Public Policy and Governance

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Quinn Grundy, RN, PhD

Postdoctoral Researcher, Faculty of Pharmacy

University of Sydney

Sydney, Australia

Doug Gruner, MD,CCFP,FCFP

Assistant Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Family Medicine

University of Ottawa

Ottawa, Ontario

Emmanuel Guindon, PhD

Assistant Professor, Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Centre for Health Economics and Policy Analysis

McMaster University

Hamilton, Ontario

Gordon Guyatt, OC, MD, MSc, FRCPC

Distinguished Professor, Department of Clinical Epidemiology & Biostatistics

McMaster University

Hamilton, Ontario

Michael Hadskis

Assistant Professor, School of Health Administration & Schulich School of Law

Dalhousie University

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Jeannie Haggerty, PhD

McGill Research Chair in Family & Community Medicine at St. Mary’s Hospital

McGill University

Montreal, Québec

Trevor Hancock, Hon FFPH

Professor and Senior Scholar, School of Public Health and Social Policy

University of Victoria

Victoria, British Columbia

Gillian Hanley, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology

University of British Columbia

Vancouver, British Columbia

Rhona Hanning, PhD, RD, FDC

Professor, School of Public Health & Health Systems

University of Waterloo

Waterloo, Ontario

Lori Hanson, PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Community Health &Epidemiology

University of Saskatchewan

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Lisa Hartling, PhD

Director, Alberta Research Centre for Health Evidence

University of Alberta

Edmonton, Alberta

Linda Haslam Stroud, RN

ONA Provincial President

Ontario Nurses’ Association

Toronto, Ontario

Marie Hatem, PhD

Professeure titulaire, École de Santé Publique-Département de médecine sociale et préventive

Université de Montréal

Montréal, Québec

Michael Hayes, PhD

Director, School of Public Health and Social Policy

University of Victoria

Victoria, British Columbia

Kate Hayman, MD, MPH, FRCPC

Physician

University Health Network

Toronto, Ontario

Brian Haynes, OC, MD, PhD, FRCPC

Professor, Departments of Clinical Epidemiology & Biostatistics and Medicine

McMaster University

Hamilton, Ontario

Janet Hazelton, BScN, RN, MPA

President

Nova Scotia Nurses’ Union

Dartmouth, Nova Scotia

Réjean Hébert, MD, MPhil

Professeur titulaire, Département d’administration de la santé École de santé publique

Université de Montréal

Montréal, Québec

George Heckman, MD, MSc, FRCPC

Schlegel Research Chair in Geriatric Medicine, School of Public Health and Health Systems

University of Waterloo

Waterloo, Ontario

David Henry, MB ChB, MRCP, FRCP

Professor, Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Marjolaine Héon, PhD

Professeure adjointe, Faculté des sciences infirmières

Université de Montréal

Montréal, Québec

Matthew Herder, LLM, JSM

Associate Professor, Faculties of Medicine and Law

Dalhousie University

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Matt Hiltz, BSc, LLB

Executive Director

New Brunswick Nurses’ Union

Fredericton, New Brunswick

Steven Hoffman, MA, JD, PhD

Associate Professor, Faculty of Law

University of Ottawa

Ottawa, Ontario

Corinne Hohl, MDCM, MHSc, BS, FRCPC, CCFP

Associate Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine

University of British Columbia

Vancouver, British Columbia

Anne Holbrook, MD, PharmD, MSc, FRCPC

Director, Division of Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology; Professor, Department of Medicine

McMaster University

Hamilton, Ontario

Aidan Hollis, PhD

Professor, Department of Economics

University of Calgary

Calgary, Alberta

Matthew Hunt, PhD, PT

Assistant Professor and Director of Research, School of Physical and Occupational Therapy

McGill University

Montreal, Québec

Jeremiah Hurley, PhD

Professor and Chair, Department of Economics

McMaster University

Hamilton, Ontario

Winston Husbands, PhD

Director of Research

AIDS Committee of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Brian Hutchison, MD, MSc, FCFP

Professor Emeritus, Departments of Family Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics

McMaster University

Hamilton, Ontario

Stephen Hwang, MD, MPH, FRCPC

Director, Division of General Internal Medicine

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Alistair Ingram, MD, FRCPC

Professor of Medicine and Chief of Medicine, St. Joseph’s Healthcare

McMaster University

Hamilton, Ontario

Noah Ivers, MD, PhD, CCFP

Scientist, Women’s College Research Institute

Women’s College Hospital

Toronto, Ontario

Robert James, MD, FCFP

Adjunct Professor, Graduate Program in Health Policy and Equity

York University

Toronto, Ontario

Craig Janes, PhD

Professor and Director, School of Public Health & Health Systems

University of Waterloo

Waterloo, Ontario

Joy Johnson, PhD, RN, FCAHS

Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences

Simon Fraser University

Burnaby, British Columbia

Marcella Jones, MPH, MD Candidate 2017

Medical Student

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Jill Kambeitz, MD, CCFP

Clinical Assistant Professor

University of Saskatchewan

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Nick Kates, MB.BS FRCPC

Professor & Chair, Dept. of Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences

McMaster University

Hamilton, Ontario

Alan Katz, MBChB, MSc, CCFP

Director, Manitoba Centre for Health Policy

University of Manitoba

Winnipeg, Manitoba

Stephen Katz, PhD

Professor, Department of Sociology

Trent University

Peterborough, Ontario

Arminee Kazanjian, DrSoc

Professor, School of Population and Public Health

University of British Columbia

Vancouver, British Columbia

Claire Kendall, MD, PhD, MSc(Public Health)

Associate Professor, Department of Family Medicine

University of Ottawa

Ottawa, Ontario

Nadia Khan, MD, MSc, FRCPC

Professor of Medicine

University of British Columbia

Vancouver, British Columbia

Kapil Khatter, MD

Family Physician and Lecturer

University of Ottawa

Ottawa, Ontario

Rutherford Kimberly, MD, MSc, CCFP

Family Physician, Spectrum Health; Medical Coordinator, Primary Outreach Services, Vancouver Coastal Health; Clinical Instructor, Department of Family Practice, University of British Columbia

University of British Columbia

Vancouver, British Columbia

Carol Kitai, MD, FCFP, PhD

Family Medicine, Women’s College Hospital

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Mieke Koehoorn, PhD

Professor and Head, Occupational and Environmental Health Division, School of Population and Public Health

University of British Columbia

Vancouver, British Columbia

Jillian Clare Kohler, PhD

Associate Professor, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, Munk School of Global Affairs & Dalla Lana School of Public Health

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Jacek Kopec, MD, MSc, PhD

Professor and Head, Division of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Public Health Practice

University of British Columbia

Vancouver, British Columbia

Udo Krautwurst, PhD

Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Sociology and Anthropology

University of Prince Edward Island

Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island

I fan Kuo, PharmD, BSc (Pharm), MSc, ACPR, RPh

Assistant Professor, College of Pharmacy

University of Manitoba

Winnipeg, Manitoba

Ronald Labonté, PhD, FCAHS, HonFFPH

Professor and Canada Research Chair, School of Epidemiology

University of Ottawa

Ottawa, Ontario

Ismail Laher, PhD

Professor, Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine

University of British Columbia

Vancouver, British Columbia

Susan Law, PhD

Associate Professor, McGill Family Medicine

McGill University

Montreal, Québec

Isabelle Leblanc, MD, MSc, CQMF

Assistant professor, Family medicine

McGill University

Montreal, Québec

Richard Lee, PhD, FRSC

University Professor Emeritus, Department of Anthropology

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Brenda LeFrançois, PhD

Professor, School of Social Work and Division of Community Health and Humanities, Faculty of Medicine

Memorial University of Newfoundland

St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador

Pascale Lehoux, PhD

Researcher, Institute of Public Health Research

Université de Montréal

Montréal, Québec

Trudo Lemmens, LicJur, LLM, DCL

Professor and Scholl Chair in Health Law and Policy, Faculty of Law, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, and Joint Centre for Bioethics

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Christine Leong, PharmD

Assistant Professor and FMC Clinical Pharmacist, College of Pharmacy

University of Manitoba

Winnipeg, Manitoba

Grigorios Leontiadis, MD, PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Medicine

McMaster University

Hamilton, Ontario

Joel Lexchin, MSc, MD

Professor, School of Health Policy and Management

York University

Toronto, Ontario

Lisa Lix, PhD, PStat

Professor and Manitoba Research Chair, Department of Community Health Sciences

University of Manitoba

Winnipeg, Manitoba

Stan Lubin, MD, MPH

Professor Emeritus, Department of Family Practice

University of British Columbia

Vancouver, British Columbia

Sharon Macdonald, MD, FRCPC

Associate Professor, Dept of Community Health Sciences

University of Manitoba

Winnipeg, Manitoba

Ellen MacEachen, PhD

Associate Professor, School of Public Health and Health Systems

University of Waterloo

Waterloo, Ontario

Constance MacIntosh, BA, MA, LLB

Director, Dalhousie Health Law Institute

Dalhousie University

Halifax, Nova Scotia

André Magnan, PhD

Associate Professor, Sociology and Social Studies

University of Regina

Regina, Saskatchewan

Sally Mahood, MD, CCFP, FCFP

Associate Professor, Family Medicine

University of Saskatchewan

Regina, Saskatchewan

Abeer Majeed, MD, CCFP

PGY3 Fellow, Clinical Environmental Health

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Dee Mangin, MBChB, DPH, FRNZCGP

David Braley Nancy Gordon Chair in Family Medicine

McMaster University

Hamilton, Ontario

Sharon Manson Singer, MSW, PhD

Professor (retired), School of Public Policy

Simon Fraser University

Burnaby, British Columbia

Greg Marchildon, PhD, MA, LLB

Ontario Research Chair in Health Policy and System Design, Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Danielle Martin, MD, CCFP, MPP

Vice President, Medical Affairs and Health System Solutions, Women’s College Hospital

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Ruth Martin Misener, RN-NP, PhD

Professor, School of Nursing

Dalhousie University

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Allan Maslove, PhD

Professor, School of Public Policy & Administration

Carleton University

Ottawa, Ontario

Louise Masse, PhD

Professor, School of Population and Public Health

University of British Columbia

Vancouver, British Columbia

Maria Mathews, PhD

Professor, Faculty of Medicine

Memorial University of Newfoundland

St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador

Chris McCabe, PhD

Professor, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry

University of Alberta

Edmonton, Alberta

Patrick McGowan, PhD

University of Victoria

Victoria, British Columbia

David McGrane, PhD

Associate Professor of Political Studies

University of Saskatchewan

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Margaret McGregor, MD, MHSc

Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Family Practice, Faculty of Medicine

University of British Columbia

Vancouver, British Columbia

Tom McIntosh, PhD

Professor, Politics and International Studies

University of Regina

Regina, Saskatchewan

Vicki McKenna, RN

ONA 1st Vice President

Ontario Nurses’ Association

Toronto, Ontario

Ian McKillop, PhD, FRSPH

Director, Professional Practice Centre in Health Systems

University of Waterloo

Waterloo, Ontario

Logan McLeod, PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Economics

Wilfrid Laurier University

Waterloo, Ontario

Bob McMurtry, CM, MD, FRCSC, FACS

Professor Emeritus, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry

Western University

London, Ontario

Chetan Mehta, MD, MA, CCFP

Family Physician

Central Toronto Community Health Centre

Toronto, Ontario

Tushar Mehta, MD, CCFP

Emergency Physician

Brampton Civic Hospital

Brampton, Ontario

Ryan Meili, MD, CCFP

Head, Division of Social Accountability

University of Saskatchewan

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Colleen Metge, PhD

Director, Evaluation Platform, George & Fay Yee Centre for Healthcare Innovation

University of Manitoba

Winnipeg, Manitoba

Fiona Miller, PhD

Associate Professor, Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Barbara Mintzes, PhD

Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Pharmacy

University of Sydney

Sydney, Australia

Craig Mitton, PhD

Professor, School of Population and Public Health

University of British Columbia

Vancouver, British Columbia

Michael Moffatt, MD, Msc, FRCPC

Professor, Departments of Community Health Sciences and Paediatrics and Child Health

University of Manitoba

Winnipeg, Manitoba

David Moher, PhD

Associate Professor, School of Epidemiology, Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine

University of Ottawa

Ottawa, Ontario

William Montelpare, PhD

Professor; Margaret and Wallace McCain Chair in Human Development and Health

University of Prince Edward Island

Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island

Steve Morgan, PhD

Professor, School of Population and Public Health

University of British Columbia

Vancouver, British Columbia

Kathy Moscou, RPh, MPH

Doctoral candidate, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy and Dalla Lana Faculty of Public Health

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Stephen Moses, MD, MPH

Professor and Head, Department of Community Health Sciences

University of Manitoba

Winnipeg, Manitoba

Eric Mykhalovskiy, PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Sociology

York University

Toronto, Ontario

Vic Neufeld, MD, MA, FRCPC

Professor Emeritus, Department of Clinical Epidemiology & Biostatistics

McMaster University

Hamilton, Ontario

Sarah Newbery, MD, CCFP, FCFP

Chief of Staff

Wilson Memorial General Hospital

Marathon, Ontario

Melissa Newitt, MPPPA

National Coordinator (Interim)

Canadian Health Coalition

Ottawa, Ontario

Manon Niquette, PhD

Professeure titulaire, Département d’information et de communication

Université Laval

Québec, Québec

Stephanie Nixon, PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Physical Therapy

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Tom Noseworthy, CM, MD, MSc, MPH, FRCPC, FACP

Professor, Department of Community Health Sciences, O’Brien Institute for Public Health

University of Calgary

Calgary, Alberta

Ubaka Ogbogu, LLB, BL, LLM, SJD

Assistant Professor and Katz Research Fellow in Health Law and Science Policy

University of Alberta

Edmonton, Alberta

Catherine Oliver, MD

Family Doctor

Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

James Orbinski, OC, MD, MSC, Bsc, MA

CIGI Research Chair & Professor in Global Health

Balsillie School of International Affairs

Waterloo, Ontario

Anita Palepu, MD, MPH

Professor, Department of Medicine

University of British Columbia

Vancouver, British Columbia

Karen Palmer, MPH, MSc

Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences

Simon Fraser University

Burnaby, British Columbia

Michael Paterson, MSc

Assistant Professor, Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Amelie Perron, RN, PhD

Associate Professor, School of Nursing

University of Ottawa

Ottawa, Ontario

Nav Persaud, MD, MSc

Associate Scientist, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael’s Hospital

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Kevin Peters, PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Psychology

Trent University

Peterborough, Ontario

Andrew Pinto, MD, MSc, CCFP, FRCPC

Assistant professor, Department of Family and Community Medicine

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Jenny Ploeg, RN, PhD

Professor and Scientific Director, Aging, Community and Health Research Unit

McMaster University

Hamilton, Ontario

Marie-Pascale Pomey, MD, Msc, PhD

Professor, Department of Health Administration

Université de Montréal

Montréal, Québec

Elaine Power, PhD

Associate Professor, School of Kinesiology and Health Studies

Queen’s University

Kingston, Ontario

Nicole Power, PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Sociology

Memorial University of Newfoundland

St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador

Marie-Claude Prémont, PhD

Professor

École nationale d’administration publique

Québec, Québec

Dorothy Pringle, OC, RN, PhD, FCAHS

Dean Emeritus & Professor Emeritus, LS Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Eva Purkey, MD, MPH, CCFP

Assistant Professor and Global Health Director, Department of Family Medicine

Queen’s University

Kingston, Ontario

Hude Quan, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Community Health Sciences

University of Calgary

Calgary, Alberta

Amélie Quesnel-Vallée, PhD

Canada Research Chair in Policies and Health Inequalities, Departments of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, and Sociology

McGill University

Montreal, Québec

Michael Rachlis, MD, MSc, FRCPC, LLD (Hon)

Adjunct Professor, Dalla Lana School of Public Health

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Nanky Rai, MD, MPH

Family medicine resident

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Dennis Raphael, PhD

Professor of Health Policy and Management

York University

Toronto, Ontario

Meb Rashid, MD

Medical Director, Crossroads Clinical

Women’s College Hospital

Toronto, Ontario

Colette Raymond, PharmD, MSc, ACPR, FCSHP

Research Scientist, Manitoba Centre for Health Policy

University of Manitoba

Winnipeg, Manitoba

Ayesha Raza, MD

PGY1, Family Medicine

St. Joseph’s Health Centre

Toronto, Ontario

Danyaal Raza, MD, MPH, CCFP

Staff Physician, St. Michael’s Hospital; Lecturer, Department of Family & Community Medicine

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Lynette Reid, PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Bioethics

Dalhousie University

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Ali Reza Meghji, BSc(Pharm), RPh

Lecturer, Pharmacist, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences

University of British Columbia

Vancouver, British Columbia

Marcia Rioux, CM, PhD

Distinguished Research Professor, School of Health Policy and Management

York University

Toronto, Ontario

Paula Rochon, MD, MPH

Senior Scientist, Women’s College Research Institute; Professor, Department of Medicine

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Cheryl Rockman-Greenberg, MDCM, FRCPC, FCCMG

Distinguished Professor, Depts. of Pediatrics and Child Health & Biochemistry and Medical Genetics

University of Manitoba

Winnipeg, Manitoba

Scott Ronis, PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Psychology

University of New Brunswick

Fredericton, New Brunswick

Noralou Roos, CM, PhD

Professor, College of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences

University of Manitoba

Winnipeg, Manitoba

Harriet Rosenberg, PhD

Professor Emerita, Health and Society Program, Department of Social Science

York University

Toronto, Ontario

Paul Rosenberg, MD

Physician Associate, Medical Oncology

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Peter Ruben, PhD

Burnaby Mountain Professor, Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology

Simon Fraser University

Burnaby, British Columbia

Jalil Safaei, PhD

Professor, Department of Economics

University of Northern British Columbia

Prince George, British Columbia

Anne Sales, PhD

Professor, School of Medicine

University of Michigan

Ann Arbor, USA

Rosana Salvaterra, MD, CCFP, MSC, FRCPC

Medical Officer of Health

Peterborough County-City Health Unit

Peterborough, Ontario

Arthur Schafer, BLitt (Oxford)

Director, Centre for Professional and Applied Ethics

University of Manitoba

Winnipeg, Manitoba

Ted Schrecker

Professor of Global Health Policy, School of Medicine, Pharmacy and Health

Durham University

Stockton-on-Tees, United Kingdom

Michael Schull, MD, MSc, FRCPC

Professor, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Michael Schwandt, MD, MPH, FRCPC

Assistant Professor, Community Health and Epidemiology

University of Saskatchewan

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Fran Scott, MD, MSc, CCFP, FRCPC

Associate Professor, Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics

McMaster University

Hamilton, Ontario

Louise Séguin, MD, MPH

Researcher and honorary professor, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine

Université de Montréal

Montréal, Québec

Stuart Shanker, DPhil

Distinguished Research Professor

York University

Toronto, Ontario

Malika Sharma, MD, FRCPC

Infectious Diseases/HIV Physician, Maple Leaf Medical Clinic; Research fellow, Wilson Centre for Research in Education

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Osmaan Sheikh, MD, BSc, CCFP

Family Physician

Department of Defence

Esquimalt, British Columbia

Sam Sheps, MD, MSc, FRCPC

Professor, School of Population and Public Health

University of British Columbia

Vancouver, British Columbia

Brendan Shields, BMT, MTA

Music Therapist

Vancouver Coastal Health

Vancouver, British Columbia

Adrienne Shnier, MA

Doctoral Candidate

York University

Toronto, Ontario

Jean Shoveller, PhD, FCAHS

Professor, School of Population & Public Health

University of British Columbia

Vancouver, British Columbia

Claude Sicotte

Professor, Department of Health Administration

Université de Montréal

Montréal, Québec

Linda Silas, RN, BScN

President

Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions

Ottawa, Ontario

Sergio Sismondo, PhD

Professor, Department of Philosophy

Queen’s University

Kingston, Ontario

Amanda Slaunwhite, PhD

Post-Doctoral Fellow

University of New Brunswick

Fredericton, New Brunswick

Kate Smolina, PhD

Postdoctoral Fellow, School of Population and Public Health

University of British Columbia

Vancouver, British Columbia

Jerry Spiegel, PhD

Professor, School of Population and Public Health

University of British Columbia

Vancouver, British Columbia

Matthew Stanbrook, MD, PhD, FRCPC, FACP

Associate Professor, Department of Medicine

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

John Staples, MD, FRCPC, MPH

Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine (2016)

University of British Columbia

Vancouver, British Columbia

Jocelyne St-Arnaud, PhD

Professeure associée, Département de médecine sociale et préventive

Université de Montréal

Montréal, Québec

Carol Strike, PhD

Associate Professor, Dalla Lana School of Public Health

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Erin Strumpf, PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Economics and Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Occupational Health

McGill University

Montreal, Québec

Therese Stukel, PhD

Professor, Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Robyn Tamblyn, CM, PhD

Professor, Department of Medicine and Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics

McGill University

Montreal, Québec

Cara Tannenbaum, MD, MSc

Professor, Faculties of Medicine and Pharmacy

Université de Montréal

Montréal, Québec

Valerie Tarasuk, PhD

Professor, Department of Nutritional Sciences and Dalla Lana School of Public Health

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Amardeep Thind, MD, PhD

Canada Research Chair in Health Services Research, Departments of Epidemiology & Biostatistics and Family Medicine

Western University

London, Ontario

Alison Thompson, PhD

Associate Professor, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, Dalla Lana School of Public Health & Joint Centre for Bioethics

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Jim Thorsteinson, MD, CCCP, FCFP

Physician, Three Bridges CHC; and, Clinical Professor, Family Practice

University of British Columbia

Vancouver, British Columbia

Sarah Tuck, MD, CCFP

Family Physician

Pinecrest-Queensway Community Health Centre

Ottawa, Ontario

Peter Tugwell, OC, MD, FRCPC

Canada Research Chair in Health Equity

University of Ottawa

Ottawa, Ontario

Fernand Turcotte, MD, MPH, FRCPC

Professeur émérite, Dépt. de médecine sociale et préventive, Faculté de médecine

Université Laval

Québec, Québec

Robin Urquhart, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery

Dalhousie University

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Cathy Vakil, MD, CCFP, FCFP

Assistant Professor, Department of Family Medicine

Queen’s University

Kingston, Ontario

Bilkis Vissandjee, PhD

Professeure titulaire, Faculté des sciences infirmières

Université de Montréal

Montréal, Québec

Stephane Voyer, MDCM, MEd, FRCPC

Clinical Assistant Professor, General Internal Medicine

University of British Columbia

Vancouver, British Columbia

Rebecca Warburton, PhD

Associate Professor, School of Public Administration

University of Victoria

Victoria, British Columbia

Duff Waring, LLB, PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy

York University

Toronto, Ontario

Fiona Webster, PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Family and Community Medicine

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Leah Welsh, B.Sc, B. Sc (pharm), RPh

Pharmacist

Victoria, British Columbia

Robin Whitaker, PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Anthropology

Memorial University of Newfoundland

St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador

Sheila Wildeman, MA, LLM

Associate Professor, Schulich School of Law; Associate Director, Dalhousie Health Law Institute

Dalhousie University

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Bryn Williams-Jones, PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health

Université de Montréal

Montréal, Québec

Brenda Wilson, MSc, MB, ChB

Professor, School of Epidemiology, Public Health and Preventive Medicine

University of Ottawa

Ottawa, Ontario

Michael Wilson, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department Clinical Epidemiology & Biostatistics

McMaster University

Hamilton, Ontario

Michael Wolfson, PhD, CRC, CAHS

Canada Research Chair in Population Health Modelling/Populomics

University of Ottawa

Ottawa, Ontario

Bob Woollard, MD, CCFP, FCFP

Professor Department of Family Practice, Faculty of Medicine

University of British Columbia

Vancouver, British Columbia

James Wright, MD, PhD, FRCPC

Professor, Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Therapeutics

University of British Columbia

Vancouver, British Columbia

Terry Wuerz, MD, FRCPC, DTMH

Internal Medicine & Infectious Disease, Winnipeg Regional Health Authority; and Assistant Professor

University of Manitoba

Winnipeg, Manitoba

Edward Xie, MD, CCFP(EM), DTM&H

Clinical Lecturer, Department of Family and Community Medicine

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Annalee Yassi, MD, MSc, FRCPC

Professor and Canada Research Chair in Global Health and Capacity Building

University of British Columbia

Vancouver, British Columbia

Photo: Sean Nel / Shutterstock.com