New Hep C drug priced out of reach of most patients

[Guest guest]

http://www.vancouversun.com/health/drug+priced+reach+most+patients/5321786/story\

..html

New Hep C drug priced out of reach of most patients

The earliest the medication could be available through BC Pharmacare is April

2012 with two more reviews to go through

By Medha, Vancouver SunAugust 29, 2011

Read more:

http://www.vancouversun.com/health/drug+priced+reach+most+patients/5321786/story\

..html#ixzz1WVoOat4B

Despite approval by Health Canada, Boceprevir, a new drug that dramatically

improves the effectiveness of standard hepatitis C treatments remains out of

reach of most patients. Boceprevir (brand name Victrelis) is available at

pharmacies at a price of $1,050 per week.

Given that the minimum recommended treatment period is 24 weeks, this means " it

will remain out of reach of the majority of those who need it unless BC

Pharmacare covers it, " said Daryl Luster, chair of hepatitis C Global

Initiatives, an advocacy group based in Vancouver.

" The drug is now available for those who are very wealthy or have private

insurance, but most will require assistance from Pharmacare [to get the drug]

and the process for that is long, " said Dr. Yoshida, head of the BC

Hepatitis Program.

Approval by Health Canada is just the first step, he said. The federal agency

only assesses the safety and therapeutic effect of a drug and grants permission

to market the drug in Canada. Provincial governments must now decide whether to

include the drug in their Pharmacare programs.

To be included in BC Pharmacare, the drug needs to go through two more reviews.

First, it needs a positive recommendation from the Common Drug Review - a

national review process managed by the Canadian Agency for Drugs and

Technologies in Health (CADTH). As a second step, once a positive recommendation

has been given, the B.C. Ministry of Health makes a Pharmacare coverage decision

by considering Pharmacare policies, programs and resources and the evidence

informed recommendations from the B.C. Drug Benefit Council (DBC).

The DBC's advice to the ministry is based upon a review of available clinical

and pharmaco-economic evidence, clinical practice and ethical considerations,

patient input, and the recommendations of the Common Drug Review, explained

Cotton, public affairs officer, B.C. Ministry of Health, in an email. The

entire process, including the BC Pharmacare review, is expected to take at least

12 months. So the earliest Boceprevir could be available through Pharmacare in

B.C. is April 2012. This may be too late.

" I hope you can get a sense of urgency for Boceprevir. It's needed now - not in

April next year, " said Laird, board member of the Hepatitis C Education

and Prevention Society, who himself suffers from hepatitis C. " Many people

infected with HCV [hepatitis C virus] are in critical condition and need the

drug now. "

medha@...

© Copyright © The Vancouver Sun

Read more:

http://www.vancouversun.com/health/drug+priced+reach+most+patients/5321786/story\

..html#ixzz1WVoaj06p