Drug review report for P.E.I. still a year off

It will be another year before the P.E.I. government completes a review of its pharmaceutical program, says Health Minister Carolyn Bertram.

The P.E.I. branch of the Canadian Cancer Society has been critical of the government's progress in providing new drug treatments for Islanders. Executive director Dawn Binns accused the government of breaking its promise to provide more Islanders with catastrophic drug coverage.

Dawn Binns, the branch's executive director, said Tuesday that after a year of discussions the Health Minister has done nothing to help those who can't pay for their medications.

"This is a health system issue, for other health conditions, including cancer," said Binns.

"If someone needs a medication, their ability to pay should not determine whether they can receive a treatment. We need to fix the system, the whole system."

P.E.I. and New Brunswick are the only two provinces without a catastrophic drug program. Such programs come into effect when a drug costs more than three to five per cent of a person's income.

Binns said P.E.I. needs to get on board with the rest of Canada. An immediate review of drug coverage is needed, she said, because this issue affects a huge number of Islanders.

But Bertram told CBC News Tuesday the government has added nine drugs to the formulary since it was elected in 2007. At the same time, she admitted the Island still has a way to go to match what is offered by other provinces.

"We're working towards that. It all takes dollars and cents," she said.

"We are certainly, as a government, very committed to the modernization of our drug program."

Bertram said she is working with other provincial ministers to lobby Ottawa for a national pharmaceutical strategy to help pay for what can be very expensive drug treatments.

Binns said about 35,000 Islanders aren't part of any drug benefit plan.