The consequences of patient charges for prescription drugs in Canada: a cross-sectional survey

摘要

Background: Many Canadians face substantial out-of-pocket charges for prescription drugs. Prior work suggests that this causes some patients to not take their medications as prescribed; however, we have little understanding of whether charges for prescription medicines lead patients to forego basic needs or to use more health care services. Our study aimed to quantify the consequences of patient charges for medicines in Canada.