Frontier Radio Commentary

Improving Access to the Newest Medicines (~2min) – May 17, 2013
New prescription drugs are constantly being developed to relieve suffering and help us live longer. Unfortunately, little seems to be done by governments to shorten the approval process so that they can get to patients who need them. Recent studies indicate that it often takes more than two years for new medicines to be approved and made available in Canada. (~2 min.)

Improving Value-For-Money in Canadian Healthcare (~2min) – March 29, 2013
All provinces in this country are striving to reduce wait times for health care, but despite their best efforts, Canadians generally wait longer for care than patients in many countries in Europe. When presented with the evidence of this, many Canadians assume that the reason must be greater spending on healthcare in those countries, but it’s not the case. (~2 min.)

Health Care Wait Times Can Be Reduced (~2min) – January 4, 2013
As the new year begins, lengthy waits for healthcare continue to be a major concern for many Canadians. Money is not the problem since we spend more per capita on health care than almost any other country in the world. Yet our system fails to deliver world-class results, especially when it comes to wait times. One reason is that some policies do little to encourage efficiency in the system. (~2 min)

Approval Process for New Medicine is Too Slow (~2min) – June 15, 2012
The approval process for new medicines in Canada should be much faster. New drugs are being developed to alleviate suffering and help us live longer. But Canada’s regulatory approval process is painfully slow. Before doctors can prescribe a new medication, it must first be approved as safe and effective by Health Canada. (~2 min)

A Smarter Approach to Funding Hospitals (~2min) – January 6, 2012
A new approach to funding hospitals that rewards efficiency and productivity is helping to reduce wait times in British Columbia. Wait times in Canada are far too long, and a major reason is a serious flaw in hospital funding. (~2min)

Canada's Health Wait Times Are Far Too Long (~2min) – December 23, 2011
The Frontier Centre has done a study comparing the performance of Canada’s healthcare systems. Ontario, BC and New Brunswick earned the highest scores - primarily due to shorter wait times than other provinces. But even in Ontario and BC, the waits are still significantly longer than in many European countries. (~2 min)

Look East, Young Health Care System! (~1min) – September 30, 2011
According to a new book, Birth of a Boom: Saskatchewan’s Dawning Golden Age, we should forget the failures of health in the U.S. and look instead to healthcare systems in Europe which are much more efficient than ours. Find out more on this week's radio commentary.

Improve Access to New Medicines (~2min) – July 22, 2011
Each year, new medicines are developed that can alleviate suffering and extend lives. Unfortunately, lengthy delays in government approval processes prevent some patients from accessing beneficial new medications. Canada’s performance in this area compares unfavourably to important peer jurisdictions –European and American government health care agencies usually certify new drugs faster than Canada’s. Slow approval processes for new medicines hurt Canadian patients. Hear more on this week’s Frontier Centre commentary.

How To Reduce Healthcare Wait Times (~1min) – December 24, 2010
Canada’s healthcare system is different from top performers like the Netherlands in that ours is overly bureaucratic; it unnecessarily restricts consumer choice as well as competition between different insurers and providers. From the Frontier Centre's weekly radio commentary that runs in 3 prairie provinces.

To Reduce Wait Times, Follow The European Model (~2min) – May 21, 2010
The evidence from Europe shows the efficiency-promoting forces of choice and competition can work effectively within the context of a universal healthcare system, resulting in substantially shorter wait times. From the Frontier Centre's weekly radio commentary that runs in 3 prairie provinces.

Cannabis Prohibition Fails Cost-Benefit Analysis (~2min) – March 19, 2010
Last week media reports in Saskatchewan found that the government has failed to keep drugs even out of secure facilities like prisons. It’s time to consider that prohibition may be a cure much worse than the disease. From the Frontier Centre's weekly radio commentary that runs in 3 prairie provinces.

Cannabis Prohibition Fails Cost-Benefit Analysis (~2min) – March 19, 2010
Last week media reports in Saskatchewan found that the government has failed to keep drugs even out of secure facilities like prisons. It’s time to consider that prohibition may be a cure much worse than the disease. From the Frontier Centre's weekly radio commentary that runs in 3 prairie provinces.

Lessons And Challenges For Albertan And Manitoban Healthcare (~2min) – December 25, 2009
Getting healthcare right is not easy, but good measurement and open minded policy approaches make it less difficult. From the Frontier Centre's weekly radio commentary that runs in 3 prairie provinces.

Lessons And Challenges For Saskatchewan Healthcare (~2min) – December 25, 2009
Getting healthcare right is not easy, but good measurement and open minded policy approaches make it less difficult. From the Frontier Centre's weekly radio commentary that runs in 3 prairie provinces.

Solve Canada's Doctor Shortage By Copying European Health Care (~2min) – June 20, 2008
From the Frontier Centre's weekly radio commentary that runs in 3 prairie provinces.

The Coming Health Care Crisis (~2min) – April 18, 2008
From the Frontier Centre's weekly radio commentary that runs in 3 prairie provinces.

Castonquay Report: The Patient Comes First (~2min) – March 7, 2008

Choosing What to Put in Our Bodies (~1min) – February 15, 2008
David Seymour observes the troubling trend towards more food nannydom . . . in Calgary and where next?

Putting the Consumer First in Healthcare (~1min) – January 18, 2008
Cameron Neumann previews an important study comparing Canadian and European healthcare in a Frontier Radio Commentary.

The Chaoulli Health Decision - SK (~1min) – November 30, 2007
A 2005 Supreme Court decision rocks the foundation of Canada's healthcare monopoly. David Seymour comments.