Catastrophic drug plan advocate dies

A Saint John man who had spent the last year fighting brain cancer and then the New Brunswick government for coverage of an experimental cancer drug, died on Wednesday.

John Philippe was 42.

He had a brain tumour, known as Glioblastoma and he was told by doctors that taking Avastin could extend his life.

But Philippe soon discovered the drug was not covered by his workplace plan and the provincial government did not have a catastrophic drug plan.

Those treatments cost about $10,600 per month.

The Saint John man began speaking out about the need for a drug plan to help people in his situation. That advocacy is being remembered by many people who knew him.

Rev. Eric Phinney at St. James the Less Church in Saint John said he is proud of the way his church and the family and friends of Philippe brought the issue of catastrophic drug coverage to the national stage.

"And it was actually a couple of dear, sweet, little old ladies, quite literally, who — one night just before Sunday — phoned everybody in the church and said, ‘We're not going to let this happen.’ And that Sunday there was over $5,000 extra on the offering plate," he said.

For a time Philippe responded well to the treatment, his quality of life improved and he was able to put aside a walker.

During that time, Lynn, his wife, and a network of supporters pushed the provincial government hard to introduce a catastrophic drug program, which had been promised by the Progressive Conservatives during the 2010 election campaign.

In December, Health Minister Ted Flemming released a report calling for a program to set up a prescription drug plan for people who do not have insurance.

Critics have said it is not the catastrophic drug plan that was promised during the election campaign.

New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island are the only provinces that do not have programs to cover the cost of expensive drugs for people with debilitating diseases or need the drugs to stay alive.