Quebec health minister denounces doctor federations' ‘total refusal' to negotiate
Quebec Health Minister Christian Dubé is criticizing the 'total refusal' of two doctors' federations to discuss compensation under Bill 106, which aims, among other things, to link up to 25 per cent of family doctors' compensation to performance indicators.
At a news briefing Tuesday morning in Montreal, Dubé sought to 'set the record straight on what we are asking of doctors' with Bill 106.
He gave several examples of the changes the legislation could bring, emphasizing that the goal is to provide more appointments for patients.
Dubé stated that two doctors' federations, the Fédération des médecins spécialistes du Québec (FMSQ) and the Fédération des médecins omnipraticiens du Québec (FMOQ), have refused to submit formal counterproposals as part of negotiations to renew their respective framework agreements.
The government submitted its proposal in March, Dubé recalled.
He said negotiations have not progressed as he would have liked over the summer, pointing the finger at the FMOQ, which has not been at the table since the end of July, according to Dubé.
Last week, FMOQ again urged the CAQ to abandon Bill 106.
In an open letter, FMOQ President and CEO Dr. Marc-André Amyot again denounced the government's attempt to force doctors to practice 'fast food medicine' by linking the performance of general practitioners 'not to the quality and relevance of consultations, but solely to volume.'
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Aug. 19, 2025.
The Canadian Press's health coverage is supported by a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. The Canadian Press is solely responsible for this journalistic content.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBC
35 minutes ago
- CBC
Quebec health minister slams doctors' federations for refusing to negotiate pay changes
Under Bill 106, up to 25 per cent of doctors' compensation would be linked to their performance, in an effort to get them to take on more patients. Quebec Health Minister Christian Dubé had set a summer deadline to negotiate with the doctors' federations in the province. But they want the government to scrap the bill altogether.
CBC
39 minutes ago
- CBC
Ozempic approved in Canada to slow kidney decline, prevent cardiovascular disease
Social Sharing Health Canada has approved Ozempic to reduce the risk of further kidney decline among patients with Type 2 diabetes. Between 30 and 50 per cent of people with Type 2 diabetes develop some form of chronic kidney disease. An international clinical trial, called FLOW, showed the risk of kidneys significantly deteriorating or failing was 24 per cent lower in patients taking Ozempic compared to those taking a placebo injection. The patients taking the drug were also less likely to die from cardiovascular disease — another condition that affects many patients with diabetes. The study, funded by Ozempic manufacturer Novo Nordisk, was peer-reviewed and published in the New England Journal of Medicine last year and contributed to Health Canada's decision. Avoiding dialysis Dr. David Cherney, a nephrologist at Toronto General Hospital, helped lead the Canadian part of the trial and says the results show it's possible to reduce the loss of kidney function before patients need dialysis or a kidney transplant. "What my patients are scared of is dialysis — dialysis or a transplant," said Cherney, who is also a senior scientist at the Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, in an interview. "I can reasonably reduce that risk and thereby reduce their anxiety and fear of serious, serious complications. Not to mention all the cardiovascular disease, which patients are also extremely afraid of." WATCH | Retinal disease tied to Ozempic and Mounjaro use in people with diabetes: Ozempic, Mounjaro linked to vision loss in diabetics 2 months ago Researchers at the University of Toronto have found GLP-1 weight loss and diabetes drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro double the risk of a severe form of vision loss among diabetics, affecting daily activities such as reading and driving. Dr. Ehud Ur, an endocrinologist in Vancouver who was not involved in the study, said the results are credible and that Health Canada's approval of Ozempic to help prevent kidney decline is "great news." "The prevention of kidney disease is a very important goal in the management of patients with Type 2 diabetes and this is another tool," said Ur, who is a professor of endocrinology and metabolism at the University of British Columbia. Ozempic is the brand name of an injectable dose of semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) hormone. Ozempic was first approved in Canada as a diabetes medication in 2018 because it reduces blood sugar. Semaglutide can also decrease appetite. In 2021, Health Canada approved it as a weight-loss drug for people with obesity at a higher dose sold by Novo Nordisk under the brand name Wegovy. Following global supply shortages, in January 2025 Health Canada said the supply of Ozempic and other GLP-1 receptor agonists had stabilized. Heart protection benefits established In an email to The Canadian Press, Health Canada confirmed that on Aug. 13, it had approved Ozempic "to reduce the risk of sustained estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) decline, end-stage kidney disease and cardiovascular death in adults with Type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease." Glomerular filtration rate is a measure that shows how well the kidneys are filtering out waste and excess water. Ozempic is the first GLP-1 drug approved in Canada to protect both kidneys and the heart in patients with Type 2 diabetes, said Ur, noting that the cardiovascular benefits of semaglutide have been extensively studied. "The benefit of Ozempic is that you also get weight loss, which is a very important goal for most people [with Type 2 diabetes]. That's a very exciting combination," he said. Some people experience gastrointestinal side effects when they take Ozempic, Ur said, including nausea, vomiting, constipation and diarrhea. More severe complications can include gall bladder inflammation and pancreatitis but most side effects are minor, he said. The benefit of slowing or stopping progressive kidney disease in people with diabetes would outweigh the risks of minor side effects, Ur said.
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
First case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis reported in horse in Hamilton since 2019
Hamilton is reporting its first case of a mosquito-borne illness called Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) in a horse since 2019. This rare, but serious, viral disease can cause inflammation of the brain in severe cases, starting with a sudden headache, high fever, chills, and vomiting. Symptoms, which usually appear in humans three to 10 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito, normally include a mild flu-like illness with fever, headache, and fatigue. Most people who are bitten by an infected mosquito, however, don't develop any symptoms. Eastern Equine Encephalitis is typically found in a virus carried by wild birds, however humans and horses bitten by an infected mosquito can become ill with EEE, the municipality said in a news release. The City of Hamilton noted that there are no reports of human illness caused by this virus in Hamilton at this time. Dr. Bart Harvey, the city's associate medical officer of health, said while the risk of being infected with EEE is low, this confirmed case serves as a reminder to residents to take precautions to avoid illness spread by mosquitos. 'Employing simple preventive measures such as using insect repellent containing DEET or Icaridin, covering up, and removing standing water on your property to prevent mosquito breeding will reduce your risk while you enjoy the outdoors. The risk of these infections will drop once there is a heavy frost that reduces the number of mosquitoes.' Hamilton Public Health Services is providing the following tips to avoid being bitten by mosquitos: Use a mosquito repellent (bug spray) containing DEET or Icaridin. Avoid areas where mosquitoes are known to be present or cover up by wearing light coloured clothing with long sleeves and long pants when in wooded areas, on the golf course, or in the garden, especially at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active. Reduce mosquito breeding sites by removing standing water at least weekly from your property. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in very shallow standing water. If you remove the standing water, they cannot lay eggs. Horses can and should be vaccinated against EEE and West Nile Virus. '(We) continually assesses the risk for human illness as part of a comprehensive vector-borne disease surveillance and prevention program. The City is currently completing its third round of mosquito larvicide treatments on city street catch basins, in addition to treatment of surface waters on public land,' a release read. More information about Hamilton's mosquito control program can be found online.
