18 new drugs added to P.E.I. drug program
Drugs used in treatment of cancer, diabetes, lung disease and more
The P.E.I. government will spend $1.5 million to give Island residents better access to high-cost medications, Premier Wade MacLauchlan announced at a news conference at the Q.E.H. Wednesday.
The new medications will help patients who need medications for treatment of cancer, diabetes, lung disease, psoriasis, blood vessel disease and schizophrenia.
Right now, if Islanders who need drugs don't have private insurance that covers the cost and the drugs are not on the provincial government's list, they may go without. Some of the drugs can cost thousands of dollars a month.
Cancer drugs covered will now include Gleevec, Perjeta Herceptin, Zytiga, Xtandi and Zelboraf.
Cancer Society executive director Jane Farquharson said Wednesday's announcement is a step in the right direction. She said P.E.I. has a number of patients with melanoma, prostate and breast cancer who will benefit from a better quality of life with the new drugs.
"It's never enough. But I think the province's announcement today is a very important one because it deals with some very difficult, very tough end stages of cancer," she said.
"There are other medications the Cancer Society would like the province to approve and add to the provincial formulary. We would like Prince Edward Island to be at least on par with Nova Scotia. Ideally we'd like to have the same coverage as they would in B.C. and Ontario.
She said the Cancer Society will continue to lobby the province to cover more drugs.
Premier Wade MacLauchlan said the provincial government will continue to expand access to effective new medications, as well as programs to reduce financial hardship for families who are dealing with illness.
P.E.I. medical oncologist Dr. Vaughan Cipperly said the government is doing well to fund the new drugs that are rapidly being developed and coming on the market.
"It's very hard for a province to keep up with all of these drugs that are coming out and so I applaud you for doing that, and thank you," he said at the news conference.
Health Minister Doug Currie said 242 new drugs have been added to the provincial drug formulary since 2007.
Investments in provincial drug programs have increased by 38 per cent over the same time period.