By Lauren Bailey
Source: Benefits Canada
Canadians’ health priorities are shifting as the coronavirus pandemic drags on, as claims for medications to treat mental-health conditions continued to rise in 2020, along with claims for specialty drugs designed to treat rarer, yet increasingly chronic diseases, according to Telus Health’s annual drug trends report.
There were noticeable shifts in the utilization of mental-health and depression medications, says Shawn O’Brien, Telus Health’s principal of health benefits management. Regardless of age, he notes, there’s been a bigger focus on mental health, resulting in stigma surrounding these issues fading and more people open to seeking help and treatment.
