Think back to the last time you filled a prescription.

Now think back to who paid for that.

There’s a good chance that if you don’t have a drug plan, you paid out of pocket for your last prescription — because outside of the hospital, prescription medications are not covered.

But Dr. Nav Persaud argues that if Canada would come up with an “essential medicines” list that would not only save our health-care system money, but also help one in five Canadians who report that they, or a member of their households, do not take medications as prescribed because of cost.

Interview by Jim Brown, of The 180 on CBC Radio.