National pharmacare program to begin in B.C. on March 1

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The national pharmacare program will start in British Columbia on Sunday, giving residents free access to a variety of diabetes medications and menopausal hormone therapy. 

B.C. Health Minister Josie Osborne says the changes will benefit more than half a million residents who are living with diabetes, and about 160,000 people with menopausal symptoms.

The provincial and federal governments signed a four-year agreement last year to implement a national pharmacare initiative in B.C. with $670 million in federal government funding.

Osborne says the funding is a “game changer” for people who will now be able to access vital medications without worrying about how much they cost. 

Under the agreement, the funding will provide full coverage of eligible medications for Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, contraceptives, and menopausal hormone therapy, but it does not include Ozempic or its generic forms. 

Dr. Dale Clayton, associate medical director of B.C. Diabetes, says while Ozempic is important as a treatment for obesity, it isn’t currently part of this coverage, although he’s optimistic for it to be included in the future.

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In January 2026, the Canadian patent for Ozempic will expire, paving the way for cheap generic versions of the semaglutide injections that help regulate blood sugar levels and appetite. Dr. Tom Elliott, medical director at B.C. Diabetes, says that semaglutide injections have revolutionized his practice, and they are astonishingly effective.

In a statement, Dr. Tom Elliott, who is also with B.C. Diabetes, says the funding is “tremendously welcome news” for residents. 

“No longer will people living with diabetes have to decide between putting food on the table and filling a prescription for basic life-saving diabetes medication.”

The coverage will be processed at every pharmacy like all B.C. pharmacare plans, without need to register as long as residents are enrolled in the medical services plan in B.C.