10 medications added to provincial Pharmacare

The P.E.I. government has added 10 new treatments to its High Cost Drug Program and Catastrophic Drug Program.

“People who are dealing with a serious illness shouldn’t have to worry about whether they can afford approved treatments,” said Health Minister Doug Currie in a news release.

The additions to the formulary are effective Tuesday.

• Revlimid for the treatment of multiple myeloma after failure of a previous therapy in patients who have not received a stem cell transplant, and also for treatment of myelodysplastic syndrome.
• Fragmin for the treatment and/or prevention of deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism.
• Innohep for the treatment and/or prevention of deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism.
• Lovenox for the treatment and/or prevention of deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism.
• Ondissolve ODF for the prevention of nausea and vomiting in cancer patients.
• Pregabalin for the management of neuropathic pain.
• Tudorza Genuair for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
• VFEND for the treatment of invasive aspergillosis (fungal infection), and also for the treatment of candidemia (fungal infection in the blood).
• Lantus for the treatment of patients who have been diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
• Levemir for the treatment of patients who have been diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes.