Weight management drugs and high-cost specialty treatments are expected to have the biggest impact on private drug plans this year, according to Telus Health’s annual drug pipeline report. It found spending on weight management drugs has more than quadrupled since 2021. In 2024, the category doubled in size following the launch of Wegovy (semaglutide) in […]
Calling all employers and plan sponsors — the 2026 Workplace Benefits Awards are now open for entries! If your organization is leading the way in transforming how you support employees through your benefits plan, financial wellness, diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives or wellness programs, visit the 2026 Workplace Benefits Awards site and submit an entry. […]
Rising rates of chronic illness among younger people and women are changing the picture of chronic disease in Canada, according to Sun Life data. Forty-five per cent of Canadians now live with a chronic disease, said Alexandra Dalkie, the insurer’s director of ePharmacy, during Benefits Canada’s 2026 Chronic Disease at Work conference. While older Canadians […]
“Eczema is like a rollercoaster; it’s characterized by flares and remissions and flares and remissions — and the cruelest thing is that it’s unpredictable and the flares come at the absolute worst time,” said Dr. Maxwell Sauder, a dermatologist at the Toronto Dermatology Centre, in a session supported by Galderma during Benefits Canada’s 2026 Chronic […]
As the drug plan landscape evolves, the nuanced tension between cost management and the imperative to support employee health continues, according to a panel of experts discussing Benefits Canada’s inaugural Drug Plan Opinion Survey during the 2025 Face to Face Drug Plan Management Forum. The survey, which polled 124 Canadian plan sponsors with at least […]
As Canada navigates the evolving drug coverage landscape, private drug plans remain a cornerstone of access, innovation and economic growth. Indeed, private drug plans are more than just a benefit for employees; they’re a critical driver for the Canadian health-care system and the economy, according to Joe Farago, executive director of market access and interim […]
As dermatological treatments move up the ranking of conditions with the highest paid drug claims, they’ve become increasingly significant for private drug plan sponsors, according to Frances Lehun, a pharmacist with pharmaceutical expertise in high-cost drug management at Beneva. During a session at the 2025 Face to Face Drug Plan Management Forum, she said this […]
A single drug can be approved for multiple conditions, but each new use requires its own clinical trials and regulatory approval, even if the drug is already approved for other indications, according to Suzanne Lepage, a private health plan strategist, during a session supported by Novo Nordisk at Benefits Canada’s 2025 Face to Face Drug […]
Pharmacy benefit managers in Canada have undergone a significant transformation over the years, said Akhil Pandit Pautra, senior manager of clinical services, health claims administration and fraud, waste and abuse at Express Scripts Canada, during a session at Benefits Canada’s 2025 Face to Face Drug Plan Management Forum. The role has evolved from the early […]
“Immunization is one of the best investments money can buy, according to the World Health Organization,” said Johnny Ma, president at Mapol Inc., during a session supported by GSK, Merck and Pfizer Canada during Benefits Canada’s 2025 Face to Face Drug Plan Management Forum. Canadian data shows vaccines can save $2.5 billion a year in […]