Thousands of Manitobans with serious medical conditions including HIV-AIDS, hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis and schizophrenia will benefit from new, effective treatment options now covered by the province’s Pharmacare program, Health Minister Theresa Oswald announced.
“Manitoba’s nationally recognized Pharmacare program continues to expand to offer the best treatment options for Manitobans living with serious medical conditions,” said Oswald. “The money we save from our generic drug policy and drug-use management agreements allow us to make substantial improvements in Pharmacare by improving access to needed drugs.”
A recent report from the Competition Bureau recognizes Manitoba’s generic policy as the first of its kind in Canada, with Manitoba a national leader in implementing the bureau’s recommendations, the minister noted.
Nine new therapeutic drugs have been added to the province’s Pharmacare program:
• Atripla, which contains three HIV medicines to lower the amount of HIV present in the blood and slow the progression of the disease;
• Caduet, a single pill that helps people with high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol to manage these conditions at a lower price than purchasing each drug separately;
• Concerta, the first once-a-day treatment to manage the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder;
• DDAVP Melt, an oral tablet that can be used to prevent bedwetting in children over five years old;
• Intelence, which helps control HIV infections in individuals who have not responded well to other antiretroviral therapies;
• Isentress, used as part of a HIV treatment for adult patients where other treatment options have not worked;
• Rituxan, which can slow the progression and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis;
• Truvada, a once-a-day pill that combines two HIV antiretroviral treatments; and
• Zeldox, which treats schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders.
In addition, 79 generic drugs will be added to the list of drugs approved for coverage in Manitoba.
Today’s announcement follows a commitment made by Healthy Living Minister Kerri Irvin-Ross on World AIDS Day in December to provide new supports and expanded resources for individuals living with HIV-AIDS.
“These new drugs, combined with the other supports announced by the province, will help the Manitoba HIV Program continue to offer integrated services and efficient, effective care to Manitobans living with HIV,” said Dr. Ken Kasper, director of the Manitoba HIV Program, which is jointly run by the Nine Circles Community Health Centre and the Health Sciences Centre. “With these medications available, Manitoba is providing a wider range of treatment options that will support people living with HIV and AIDS.”
The new drugs added to Pharmacare will be covered at no net cost to the program, due to over $4 million in annual savings from the use of less expensive generic drugs and older drug treatments that are being replaced with new, more effective drug options. Oswald noted that Manitoba is the first province in Canada to include Zeldox in its drug formulary, as part of its ongoing commitment to mental health.
Since 1999, over 2,000 new drugs have been added to pharmacare and over 24,000 more families are benefiting from the program. In 2008, $228 million was invested in pharmacare.
Pharmacare is a universal, comprehensive prescription drug program for any Manitoban, with benefits based on family income. It covers 100 per cent of eligible drug costs once the income-based deductible is reached, regardless of age or medical condition.
In December, the provincial government announced it would implement 12 new recommendations made by the auditor general to further strengthen the province’s Pharmacare program, building on work already underway to continue to deliver the most comprehensive Pharmacare program in Canada.
Since the auditor general’s first report in 2006, the provincial government has taken action on all 22 previous recommendations including introducing utilization management agreements that are negotiated with drug manufacturers to help manage rising drug costs, implementing a new generic drug submission policy to get better generic drug prices for Manitobans and launching the Deductible Instalment Payment Program for Pharmacare to allow eligible families with high drug costs to pay their deductible in monthly instalments on their hydro bill.
Provincial action on the auditor general’s recommendations has resulted in approximately $2 million in price discounts through utilization management agreements negotiated with drug companies. Oswald said the province will continue to take advice from the auditor general to further strengthen the provincial pharmacare program.
The minister noted the Canadian Institute for Health Information last year reported that 53 per cent of prescription drug costs in Manitoba were publicly funded, the highest percentage in Canada.
