Patients now have access to an additional 154 medications through the Manitoba Pharmacare Program, including enhanced access to drugs used to treat diabetes.

“We are continuously working to add drugs to the pharmacare program in a timely manner to ensure Manitobans have access to medications that offer important treatments for many different illnesses and treatments at a more affordable price,” said Health, Seniors and Active Living Minister Cameron Friesen. “By participating in the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance, we are able to add more brand-name and generic drugs to the program, saving money that can then be reinvested into further increasing drug coverage for Manitobans.”

The province is adding coverage for the drug Tresiba, a long-acting insulin used to control high blood sugar, for the treatment of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. In addition, the long-lasting insulin drugs Lantus, Levemir and Basaglar will move from Part 3 of the formulary to Part 1, enhancing access for people with diabetes as physicians will no longer need to apply for coverage of these drugs before the patient gets it from their pharmacy.

“Better access to effective medications, devices and supplies can help improve the management of diabetes and quality of care for Manitobans living with diabetes,” said Andrea Kwasnicki, regional director of Manitoba and Nunavut for Diabetes Canada. “It can also decrease the likelihood of future serious complications of the disease.”

Of the 154 drugs added, 120 are generic medications. The minister noted the additions reduce the amount that would have otherwise been spent on higher-cost equivalent drugs by $1 million, allowing the money to be reallocated towards coverage for new drugs.

Some of the other new drugs added to the formulary include:

  • Caprelsa, for the treatment of medullary thyroid cancer;
  • Dysport Therapeutic, for the treatment of upper-limb focal spasticity and cervical dystonia;
  • Elelyso, for the treatment of Type 1 Gaucher disease;
  • Hemangiol, for the treatment of non-cancerous tumours in children known as infantile hemangioma;
  • Lynparza, for the treatment of a certain type of ovarian cancer;
  • Ocaliva, for the treatment of primary biliary cholangitis, a chronic liver disease;
  • Odefsey, for the treatment of Type 1 HIV;
  • Procysbi, for the treatment of infantile nephropathic cystinosis, a genetic disease affecting the kidneys;
  • Renflexis, for the treatment of certain types of arthritis, psoriasis, Crohn’s disease and colitis;
  • Rydapt, for the treatment of a certain type of leukemia; and
  • Tagrisso, for the treatment of a certain type of lung cancer.

Coverage for the new drugs are effective immediately.

The minister said the addition of these new drugs to the formulary are a direct result of Manitoba’s participation in the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance (pCPA). By capitalizing on the combined negotiating power of drug plans across multiple provinces and territories, the pCPA aims to:

  • increase access to drug treatment options;
  • achieve lower drug costs and consistent pricing; and
  • improve consistency of coverage criteria across Canada.

The Manitoba Drug Benefits and Interchangeability Formulary lists therapeutically effective drugs of proven high quality that have been approved as eligible benefits under the pharmacare drug benefit program. The pharmacare program is based on family income and covers 100 per cent of eligible drug costs once the income-based deductible is reached, regardless of medical condition or age.

For more information on the Manitoba Pharmacare Program, visit: www.gov.mb.ca/health/pharmacare.