People will look back on 2025 as a time of change and uncertainty.
The unpredictable actions of U.S. President Donald Trump have put a great strain on Canada as a whole, affecting many sectors, including pharmacy. Here in Canada, we have a new Prime Minister who will need to work to uphold our country’s sovereignty, while minimizing the negative economic impacts of tariffs. Provincially, these elements of uncertainty lay on top of the provincial government’s challenge of absorbing all these economic threats.
For the profession, what we know is that there will be a new federal Minister of Health — the existing Minister did not get re-elected; that the current national PharmaCare program will continue, but not be expanded; and that U.S. tariffs on pharmaceuticals are likely. We also know that our provincial Ministry of Health is reviewing all expenditures, and has implemented a hiring freeze and a hold on new expenditures. There is also a big focus on dealing with rural emergency room closures and health human resources in general. At both the federal and provincial levels, dollars are tight and new initiatives are unlikely to proceed until U.S. tariff issues are resolved.
How does all of this shake out for community pharmacists in B.C.?
In recent years, pharmacists have clearly shown how they fill gaps in primary care efficiently and cost-effectively. Our Premier and Minister of Health are engaged and supportive of pharmacists.
And, as we saw at our recent Pharmacy Day at the Legislature, our political decision makers are keen to know more about the role pharmacists can play in dealing with so many of the challenges in our health-care system.
The Minor Ailments and Contraceptive Services program’s success is the clearest demonstration of why pharmacists’ scope of practice should continue to be expanded to include prescribing for stable chronic diseases.
We know that when pharmacists do more of what they are trained and able to do, community care gets better. It makes good sense that in tight economic times, we should ensure pharmacists are working to their maximum expertise.
While there is no doubt that the profession is navigating in troubling times, the BC Pharmacy Association is clear on the work we need to do: get fair compensation for existing and new services.
These things will not come easily during the current times. But our efforts will continue to be to support pharmacists and pharmacies across the province.
Geraldine Vance
Chief Executive Officer
BC Pharmacy Association