Ontario finally approve 50 Million for three Cancer Meds!

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snowyday
snowyday Member Posts: 1,478
edited June 2014 in Canadians Affected by Breast Cancer

Just read the article in the Toronto Star in regards to Ontario finally approving three cancer medications to Ontario Patients, Avistan, Sprycel and Alimta.  The article caught my eye as they said it partly approved because of a mothers' plea for the medication and sadly she passed away of colon cancer in April of 2007.  Esther Hart had alot of supporters who helped her in her quest for Avistan.  While reading the article it also stated that there are 3,000 patients seeking Avistan and that amount comes to 120 million. 

I really had my hopes up that Ontario was finally get on board with othe Provinces but 50 million is just a drop in the bucket.  I know we are lucky here in Canada I only wish that Cancer treatments would be on the same level for every Province.  We have ridiculously high taxes and I always thought Ontario was one of the largest contributors in manufacturing, jobs, and paying taxes, yet we are not on par with the smaller provinces, it doesn't make sense to me, I wish someone could give me an answer that I could really understand and empathize with.

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  • Beesie
    Beesie Member Posts: 12,240
    edited July 2008

    Just to clarify for our non-Canadian readers, these drugs were approved by Health Canada and were available and could be prescribed to patients, but until today, the cost of the drugs in Ontario had to be covered by the patient or his/her private insurance.  I think most of us in Canada would understand this distinction, but I wouldn't want others to think that these drugs were not approved for use in Ontario until today.

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  • mke
    mke Member Posts: 584
    edited July 2008

    I read the same article this morning.  I do not envy those who must make decisions about what to fund.  The public purse is not limitless.  40,000 pays for Avastin treatment or what?  10,000 immunizations of children?  1000 tuberculosis treatments?  75% of nursing homes have repeated citiations for substandard care, would 40,000 mean an extra 80,000 adult diapers? I don't know the answers, but I know that the health department people must make them. 

    The Ontario PM has been saying for years that there is something like a 5 billion dollar drain from Ontario through transfer payments.  Maybe he exagerates - but not by too much.  The industrial base of Ontario is tanking - check on Windsor and Oshawa.  Ontario is going from a have to a have-not province and certainly has been screwed in EI for years.

    Resources are always limited.  In a user pay system, he who can afford it can have it - whatever it is and however useless it is.  In a public pay system, someone has to decide what the public should pay for. 

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