TORONTO - Ontario's Liberal government isn't backing down in its fight with pharmacists, and will announce regulations today to eliminate $750 million a year in so-called professional allowance fees.
Pharmacists have been warning of new charges, service reductions and even closures because of the plan to eliminate the fees paid to pharmacists by generic drug companies.
The government says those fees drive up prescription drug prices in Ontario way higher than prices in other provinces and U.S. states.
Health Minister Deb Matthews hopes eliminating the professional allowances will lower the price of generic drugs in Ontario to about 25 per cent of the cost of brand name medications.
Matthews will hold a news conference this afternoon after reporters are given a technical briefing by officials on the new regulations.
She rejected an earlier proposal from the pharmacists to substantially raise dispensing fees, saying that was merely asking taxpayers to replace the money paid by the drug companies.
