March is Pharmacist Awareness Month. This year's theme, "Pharmacists: Trusted Care When and Where You Need It," aims to raise awareness about the important role pharmacists play in our healthcare system. They help us understand how to use medications safely and effectively.
Pharmacists are key partners in the effort to address the abuse of prescription drugs, which is a serious public health and safety issue for many communities across Canada. Last fall, our Government launched the Preventing Drug Abuse marketing campaign, to raise awareness about prescription drug abuse and equip parents with information and tools to talk with their teenagers about the harmful effects of drug abuse. As frontline healthcare professionals, pharmacists play a critical role in our collaborative efforts to tackle this problem.
Our Government believes in supporting health professionals and their patients to have access to current and accurate information on drugs and health products. Our Government recently announced plans to make drug shortage reporting mandatory, so that healthcare providers can better manage their patients' needs. We have also recently passed the Protecting Canadians from Unsafe Drugs Act (Vanessa's Law). This law will allow Health Canada to recall unsafe products and will require clear labelling for health risk information. In addition, the newly launched Drug and Health Product Register will make it easier to search for drug facts, precautions and reported side effects. All of these initiatives will have a real impact on the information pharmacists have available to them, and will help make Canadians safer.
Our Government thanks pharmacists for the essential role they play in our healthcare system. We are committed to working with you to keep Canadians safe and healthy.
The Honourable Rona Ambrose
Minister of Health
