Calgary pharmacists speak out against restricted access to COVID-19 vaccine

Alberta health-care workers say they were blindsided the decision to start charging most people an estimated $110 for COVID-19 vaccines.

A Calgary pharmacist says he was blindsided by the province’s decision to start charging most people an estimated $110 per shot for COVID-19 vaccines this fall.

The announcement, which was revealed in a news release late Friday, has sparked criticism over both the policy shift itself and also the way the change was communicated.

Albertans with pre-existing health conditions will still be able to receive the shot, but anyone else – including healthcare workers – will have to pay out of pocket.

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“It’s very frustrating,” said Randy Howden, owner of the Medicine Shoppe Crowfoot Pharmacy. “I’m really worried about access for patients that do want to receive the vaccine and do not qualify for the paid vaccine.”

“Reducing the number of sites that will be available to provide the vaccine might mean that seniors or other people that are high risk are going to have to travel a lot further to receive the vaccine, which would be a barrier on top of the cost.”

That barrier is concerning for 81-year-old David Sielski, who received a COVID-19 vaccine on Monday and was surprised to learn he would have to start paying going forward.

“There’s no way I can afford this, so I’m just going to have to go without,” he said.

“I’m trying to keep up with it and get all the shots to protect myself, but I’m not paying anything. I worry I could be more at risk because it’s a pretty serious illness and I don’t feel obligated to pay.”

Premier Danielle Smith defended the move on Monday, citing excessive vaccine wastage and mounting fiscal pressures on Alberta’s health care system.

Speaking to reporters, she said more than 54 per cent of COVID-19 vaccine doses were wasted, with over one million unused shots discarded — representing approximately $135 million in lost resources.

“Once you open the package, it has to be used within 12 hours,” Smith said. “Pharmacies and doctor’s offices just don’t have the volume to avoid that kind of wastage.”

“We have so many priorities in health care. We can’t afford to be wasting money,” Smith said, adding that the funds saved could instead address long-standing backlogs and income replacement needs.

Howden says Smith’s argument was never addressed with pharmacists.

“Our current messaging from Alberta Health was that it’s okay if somebody comes in requesting a dose, and if they qualify, to open the vial and give the dose,” Howden said.

“There wasn’t any concern about the doses going to waste, so getting this message from the premier and from the health minister saying that they’re worried about the wastage, I think that could have been handled in a different way.”

Meanwhile, pharmacist like Abdul Kanji says he worries about the majority of his customers, which are seniors.

“A lot of these seniors get two shots per year – once every six months – so this is a huge cost,” he said.

“I worry this is going to compound with other illnesses like measles, that are already out of control because of people who are not vaccinated, right? So, we need to create a herd mentality where everybody gets vaccinated.”

NDP health critic raises concerns

Sarah Hoffman, former Alberta health minister and current health critic for Alberta’s opposition NDP, also expressed concerns that the move could create discourage seniors and high-risk individuals from getting vaccinated.

“This decision risks creating unnecessary obstacles for people who need these vaccines the most,” Hoffman said.

She pointed out that the timing and communication around the policy were problematic, with pharmacists and frontline healthcare workers apparently learning about the change through media releases rather than official channels.

“Instead of alienating pharmacists and limiting access, the government should be working closely with them to manage vaccine distribution more effectively and reduce wastage.”

The former minister also questioned the rationale behind the policy, especially when public health experts continue to stress the importance of vaccination in preventing severe illness amid ongoing respiratory illness concerns.

Alberta Pharmacists’ Association reacts

The Alberta Pharmacists’ Association (RxA) is sounding the alarm over recent government decisions that restrict access to affordable healthcare for vulnerable Albertans, especially seniors and those in rural areas.

In a press release Monday, RxA criticized cuts and changes that “disproportionately impact” those without internet, transportation or stable housing.

Pharmacists, who administered over 4.5 million COVID-19 vaccines, will no longer provide these shots as the government orders fewer doses than needed.

RxA called this move “disconnected from both the data, evidence and the patients’ experience,” noting “wastage will be insignificant due to the availability of single dose packaging.”

They warned that centralizing vaccines to public health clinics will “increase system costs, limit access, and add out-of-pocket costs.”

The government’s increase of seniors’ prescription co-pays from $25 to $35 per medication—a 40 per sent hike—also drew strong criticism. RxA stressed that “increases in out-of-pocket expenses lead to lower medication adherence” and worsen health outcomes, adding pressure on the healthcare system.

Cuts to pharmacist-funded chronic disease care further jeopardize support for patients managing complex conditions.

“Patients with the most complicated and vulnerable health needs may now find themselves without accessible, consistent care anywhere in the system,” RxA warned.

The association urged the government to “work collaboratively with the pharmacy profession” and called out the lack of consultation, emphasizing that “Alberta pharmacists have proven their value every single day as the front-line healthcare providers Albertans trust.”

Health-care union calls for Alberta government to halt plan to limit free vaccines

A union representing 30,000 health-care workers in Alberta is calling on Smith’s government to reverse course and provide free COVID-19 vaccines to all front-line workers and any other Albertan who wants the shot.

The Health Sciences Association of Alberta says that is the best way to protect patients, reduce hospitalizations, and keep the health-care system strong.

Smith says the aim of the new policy, announced last week, is to prevent wastage, recover costs, and protect those who need it the most by giving them the COVID shot for free.

However, most Albertans, including health-care workers and seniors who live independently, will have to pay out of pocket.

Union vice-president Leanne Alfaro says COVID-19 continues to put vulnerable Albertans at risk and vaccines remain the most effective tool for protecting both individuals and broader health system.

She also says workers should not be expected to put themselves in harm’s way without basic protection.

- With files from the Canadian Press