Manitobans with serious medical conditions including cancer, diabetes, depression, hypertension, glaucoma, HIV and hepatitis B will benefit from new, effective treatment options now covered by the province’s pharmacare program, Health Minister Theresa Oswald announced last week.

 “We continue to seek safe, cost-effective generic alternatives to brand-name drugs and use the savings to expand the list of other life-improving drugs,” said Oswald.  “For example, the province is able to offset the costs of the cancer treatment agent Revlimid through savings from the use of other new generic drugs.”

 Previously, Revlimid was approved for reimbursement only on a case-by-case basis. It will now be approved for coverage through the Exception Drug Status (EDS) program for individuals who meet established criteria suffering from multiple myeloma, a rare blood cancer.

 The eight new therapeutic drugs added to the province’s pharmacare program are: Revlimid, an oral cancer agent; Apidra, insulin for diabetes; Cymbalta, for depression and diabetic neuropathic pain; Coversyl Plus HD, for hypertension; Volibris, for pulmonary arterial hypertension; Azarga, for glaucoma; Viread, for HIV and hepatitis B; and Yaz, an oral contraceptive.

 Earlier this year, a generic version of the most prescribed high blood-pressure medicine in the world, amlodipine besylate, was added to pharmacare.  

At that time, Manitoba secured the best published price in the country, resulting in significant long-term savings for Manitobans, the minister said. The price has now been lowered for Manitobans by adding a second generic version.  A total of 29 generic drugs are being added to the list of drugs approved for coverage in Manitoba, resulting in annual savings of more than $2 million. These changes come into effect Sept. 9.                                                       
        
The average annual benefit paid to pharmacare recipients has more than doubled in that time to $2,726 (as of 2008-09). 
 The Manitoba Pharmacare Program is a universal prescription drug benefit program available for any Manitoban whose income is seriously affected by high prescription drug costs.  Pharmacare covers 100 per cent of eligible drug costs once the annual income-based deductible is reached, regardless of age or medical condition.