McMaster community invited to panel discussion on future of Canada's healthcare system

March 14, 2011 - The future of universal health care in Canada, particularly the possibility of expanding it to including prescription drugs and long-term care, will be the subject of a public panel discussion hosted by the McMaster Health Forum on March 22.

With the expiration of the First Ministers’ Accord on Healthcare Renewal in 2014 and the aging of the Canadian population, the future of Canada’s healthcare system is gaining increasing attention in political and public arenas. The Canadian Medical Association has challenged Canadians to be informed and take an active part in shaping the future of universal healthcare.

The panel discussion features two experts with extensive experience in studying various aspects of the healthcare system, who will discuss the benefits and risks of altering some of the features of Canada’s medicare. Dr. Michael Rachlis, a private consultant in health policy analysis, and Christopher Longo, an assistant professor in McMaster University’s DeGroote School of Business, will offer their ideas on possible changes, and then engage with the audience on questions and concerns about the current medicare framework.

The discussion will take place from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the McMaster Health Forum DialogueSpace on the fourth floor of Mills Memorial Library. It has been organized by the Forum’s Student Subcommittee, to give students, faculty and staff at the university the opportunity to gain insights into the potential changes that will be considered as the provincial and federal governments work towards a new agreement to replace the existing accord on healthcare.

Rachlis has been a consultant to the federal government, all 10 provincial governments, and two royal commissions. In 2010, he was conferred a doctor of laws by the University of Manitoba in recognition of his service to Canadian health policy. He has lectured widely on health care issues and has been invited to make presentations to the Canadian House of Commons, the Canadian Senate as well as the United States House of Representatives and Senate. He is a frequent media commentator on health policy issues and the author of three national bestsellers about Canada's health care system.

Longo has more than 20 years of industry and academic experience in clinical research, economic evaluation, and market access strategies for pharmaceuticals. He has consulted with numerous provincial and federal agencies including the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technology in Health, Cancer Care Ontario, the National Cancer Institute of Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care. He was the past chair of Rx&D’s (Canada’s Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies) Health Economic Working Group from 2002-2004 and has acted as a reviewer for several journals including Pharmacoeconomics, the Canadian Medical Association Journal, the Journal of Palliative Care, the International Journal of Behavioral and Healthcare Research, and the International Journal of Information Management.

This event has been organized with the support of McMaster’s Student Services Committee. If interested in attending, please RSVP to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , with ‘Universal Healthcare’ in the subject line.

To view a poster of this event, click here.