This announcement comes in the wake of a policy change introduced in British Columbia in April 2023, based on research and advocacy led by BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre (BCWH) leaders. We are extremely grateful for this step forward to advance equity for women and people across Canada.
Pregnancy planning achieved through both the availability and affordability of birth control benefits individuals by improving health outcomes, and also enables people to access both education and economic opportunities. At the societal level, it has been shown to reduce health disparities for underserved populations, addresses child poverty, and lowers public spending, including the medical costs associated with unplanned pregnancies and the societal impacts of same.
Dr. Wendy Norman, principal investigator, Family Planning, Women’s Health Research Institute, and Public Health Agency of Canada Chair, Family Planning Research, was a key leader in the BC Universal Contraception policy implementation and she also significantly contributed to this recent federal policy announcement that will benefit millions of people across Canada today, and into the future.
Dr. Norman said, “Our research team was honoured to be asked by Minister Holland to contribute evidence toward this historic national legislation. BC Women’s Hospital has been a core partner every step of the way in our program of contraception cost effectiveness research, working to improve health and heath equity for women and people not only in BC but now across Canada and for generations to come.”
Both Dr. Norman and Cheryl Davies, chief operating officer of BCWH, were invited to attend the federal announcement in Ottawa in recognition of their significant contributions to this work.
As a healthcare community, we are so fortunate to benefit from the knowledge and expertise of health advocates, researchers, clinicians, and leaders, who are paving the way for policy decisions to improve healthcare at a national level based on their innovative research and advocacy in this province.
