A new policy by Manulife on prescription drugs is going to have a big impact on millions of Canadians but perhaps nowhere more so than rural areas.

Certain classes of drugs will be covered only if they are filled by drug outlets owned by Loblaws. Shopper’s Drug Mart, for example, is owned by Loblaws but Lawton’s is not.

Labrador West NDP MHA Jordan Brown told VOCM Open Line with Paddy Daly this morning that about 75 per cent of people in his district are covered by Manulife but the nearest Shopper’s or Loblaws affiliate is hundreds of kilometres away.

While drugs can be shipped, he doesn’t think that’s a reasonable alternative.

He says people develop a close bond with their pharmacist on sensitive issues, and that cannot be addressed by putting something in a box and shipping it out.

The drugs on the list include those used to treat such serious conditions as rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn’s.