Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Treatment Access Denied?
Would you like to learn more about how government policies and systems affect your access to drugs and other therapies? Do you want to better understand government cost containment strategies, and if they put your health at risk? Do you think BC should cover the cost of treatments for facial lipoatrophy for those who can’t afford it? There’s a workshop and panel discussion on treatment access issues in BC for persons with HIV/AIDS on February 7th at the Best Western Chateau Granville (in Vancouver) starting at 9:30 am. It’s free to attend and is hosted by the Canadian Treatment Action Council along with several other community groups. Let us know what your concerns are about healthcare in BC
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The gov't says the cost of new/innovative drugs are too high and are to blame for causing financial unsustainability in the pharmacare program...many researchers call this the "Blame Game". Check out the Pharmacare website Reference Drug Plan Booklet www.health.gov.bc.ca/pharme/outgoing/lcabooklet.pdf. pages 9 and 10 list the Reference priced drugs (genric versions of the brand 'Pariet'),
H2 antagonists, used for acid reflux disease, only 2 RBP drugs 'cimetidine and rantidine are listed but there are more than 60 versions of these 2 generic drugs, cimetidine and randitine!!!
60 versions from almost a dozen manufacteres, different doses, different fomulations, but all of the same 2 generic, chemically NON equivalent forms of the brand name drug "Pariet". For most people with advanced Acid reflux disease, the cheap generic non equalivelnts of Pariet dont work. But they must try them, fail on them, use extra health care dollars to be re stabalized on pariet, which only costs a few cents more than cimitidine in the first place!
Does this sound like a good way to save money for pharmacare? What the gov't is doing is called price and supply based pharmacoeconomics, cheap price at purchase and huge supplies. With the $'s from those 60 versions of anti acid drugs, maybe we could afford one new innovative breeak through drug? One that might cure acid reflux disease? Immagine if HIV meds were subject to RBP or LCA!!!!!
Excuse my spelling!
Peace to all,
Tiger Samuels.
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