Free contraception across the nation? Doctor leads push for federal policy on birth control coverage

A physician-led petition calling for free birth control across Canada is on track to be presented to the federal parliament’s House of Commons, with over 4,700 signatures collected as of Aug. 16—well above the 500 required to advance to this stage. House of Commons Petition E-4516, which was submitted by Dr. Rupinder Toor—who runs the IUD Women’s Clinic in Calgary—asserts that free contraception nationwide will save public dollars, enhance the protection of Canadians’ reproductive rights and bring Canada on par with all other countries that provide universal healthcare. “A federal policy for free prescription birth control in Canada is projected to create money, with studies showing up to $9 saved in managing unplanned pregnancies for each $1 invested in universal contraception,” stated the petition. “Canada is the only country worldwide with universal healthcare that lacks coverage for prescription drugs.” A press release announcing the petition added that savings from national birth control coverage would be realized quickly, “with the policy costing no money by year two, and saving money by year three. In Canada, it is estimated that 40% of pregnancies are unintended, with an associated direct health care cost of over $320 million annually.” The release also noted that British Columbia started offering free prescription birth control to its residents on April 1, 2023 and that political parties in other provinces have similar policies on their mandate. Read: British Columbia’s coverage of contraceptives should inspire the rest of North America A recent Abacus survey commissioned Project EmpowHer—founded by Dr. Toor to support her advocacy work—suggests there’s strong support for the idea. Of the 1,650 Canadian adults who responded to the survey, close to 85% said they approve of a federal policy for free prescription birth control across Canada while about 70% said they believe this was an urgent issue. “Reproductive rights are human rights and cannot be left to the whim of changing provincial governments, they must be protected on a federal level,” said Dr. Toor in the press release. “Access to reproductive care is being increasingly restricted and dismantled just south of Canada’s border in the United States and women in Canada are starting to feel nervous. I am not fighting just for my patients, but for reproductive security and gender equity for all Canadians.” The petition, which remains open until Aug. 25, 2023, has gathered signatures from all provinces and territories, with more than one-third of signatories coming from Alberta and just over one-quarter from Ontario. The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada and the University of Calgary have also thrown their support behind the petition, according to an email from Dr. Toor to the Medical Post. The Society has shared the petition on social media. Dr. Toor noted in her email that, besides adding their signatures to the petition, physicians and other healthcare professionals can further champion the cause by amplifying the message in their personal and professional networks. “We only have until August 25 to collect a maximum number of signatures,” she wrote. “We want a strong show of support to take to government.” The petition has, so far, been the only opportunity for Canadians to weigh in on the issue, so “now is the time to take action to ensure that access to birth control will always be secure in Canada,” said Dr Toor. Read: Green for 'go have unprotected sex': This FDA-approved contraception app is worse than the old fashioned Rhythm Method

Free contraception across the nation? Doctor leads push for federal policy on birth control coverage

Register for free access or login.

Related Topics