The number of prescriptions claimed by Quebecers on the province's public drug plan has almost tripled since the year 2000.
Around 40 per cent of Quebecers are covered by the public plan, and those patients claimed an average of 55 prescriptions each in 2015, compared to just under 20 in 2000.
That's according to a study by Montreal-based health economist Yanick Labrie and reported in Le Journal de Montréal on Tuesday.
But does it mean that Quebec is becoming a society dependent on prescription pills, or that doctors are over-prescribing for minor ailments?
Not so, said CJAD medical expert Dr. Mitch Shulman.
According to Shulman, modern drug treatments are more thorough and precise, and a wider range of ailments can be treated - including with new drugs that target previously untreatable illnesses.
"We now treat things differently, we now treat more things, and we have more choices."
"Look how much better we are at treating certain things and how much more aggressive we are about treating certain things and how we have better medications available that we didn't have before."
Shulman also said that more prescriptions could mean less of a burden on hospitals.
"Before, I'd have to admit a patient, start them on intravenous medications, keep them in the hospital. Now I can treat them with oral medication, as an outpatients and perhaps avoid a very expensive hospital admission."
"To compare prescriptions today to prescription numbers fifteen years ago is lunacy."