Cystic Fibrosis Lady

[applebee]

Just feel that this person gets the rotten end of the stick. For NO fault of her own, she has a debilitating disease that she must function with daily. Finally found a drug that has helped her a lot, now the cost is prohibitive. Sadly she should be "hooked' on heroin or such, then get free needles, overdose drugs, etc. Am I seeing something wrong with this picture?

[ferri]

https://www.castanet.net/news/Vernon/20 ... to-breathe

[maryjane48]

the price of the drug is on the drug company . theres no other blame to be spread there. if it was me i would fine these drug companies until they lowered their prices . there is more than one person with cf in canada so be interesting to see whats going on with them and mabey a class action against drug company can be arranged

[maryjane48]

another thing i find odd is she started taking it in 2016 a year ago and never said peep to bclib goverment but now seems compelled to try make the ndp look bad ? something seems off

[GordonH]

Something is really screwed up here, BC government is spending huge amounts healthcare dollars to help addicts. Who just turn around & do it all over again & again & again.

Meanwhile someone whos quality of life has increased greatly, has to see those gains disappear because the drug is not covered. This picture is seriously f up impo

[kgcayenne]

This article came out on CBC not too long ago:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-c ... -1.4037018

[whitecandle]

BC isn't the only province who hasn't added this drug to their respective drug plan. Not one province or territory has added this particular drug to their drug plans although some private insurers will pay a portion.

There are 150 CF patients in BC (according to the article) and at a cost of $250K/year that adds up to $37.5M/year. The cost drops to $30M when you take into account this drug helps only 80% of CF patients who have the specific gene mutation.

Unfortunately there is only a finite amount of money covering the cost of drugs so each province/territory has to weigh the benefits for the majority of their citizens rather than for a small group.

[GordonH]

BC isn't the only province who hasn't added this drug to their respective drug plan. Not one province or territory has added this particular drug to their drug plans although some private insurers will pay a portion.

There are 150 CF patients in BC (according to the article) and at a cost of $250K/year that adds up to $37.5M/year. The cost drops to $30M when you take into account this drug helps only 80% of CF patients who have the specific gene mutation.

Unfortunately there is only a finite amount of money covering the cost of drugs so each province/territory has to weigh the benefits for the majority of their citizens rather than for a small group.

So... to bad so sad, if only you were an addict the Province would be willing to help. Not an addict, unfortunately the individual no fault of their own got a genetic disease is now condemned to die (half of those with CF lifespan of around 37 years olds).

Added: I have a hell of lot more compassion for those with CF, then any addict.

[twobits]

And when there is a revolutionary injection that will prevent cancer but it costs 1 million dollars per dose to synthesize should gov't pay to make it available to everyone? Yes, I am just stiring the pot here for discussion sake, but really folks, there is the reality of costs and benefits to society as a whole. It is a true moral dilemma. Do we without question save 1000 at huge expense when the funds would be better allocated to 10000 heart transplants? Just asking cuz I don't know. If I had a CF family member the answer might be easy but would it be reasonable expectation?

[whitecandle]

^^^Not so much stirring the pot but getting to the gist of the dilemma. Do the drug benefits and costs of a specific drug for CF patients outweigh those of cancer, transplant, heart, burn patients or any of the other maladies that affect people through no fault of their own?

Does the government fund $30M to cover the CF drug forcing them to a) increase MSP or taxes to cover the additional funding or b) reduce the amount allocated to other drugs or c) delist certain drugs and make people pay out-of-pocket? Either way - it's a case of damned if they do, damned if they don't.

[dontrump]

I say our system should cover the drug at least by 80%;; A SB refugee shows up at the border ever day and we bend over backwards to make their life perfect here in Canada but wont assist a person born and raised here??

[maryjane48]

I say our system should cover the drug at least by 80%;; A SB refugee shows up at the border ever day and we bend over backwards to make their life perfect here in Canada but wont assist a person born and raised here??

if that was the big concern then all medical pot shops would have the backing of every mayor in bc . clearly that is not the case and your comparing 2 different things

[dontrump]

I say our system should cover the drug at least by 80%;; A SB refugee shows up at the border ever day and we bend over backwards to make their life perfect here in Canada but wont assist a person born and raised here??

if that was the big concern then all medical pot shops would have the backing of every mayor in bc . clearly that is not the case and your comparing 2 different things

Total BS No one needs pot;; its the worst thing we can do is legalize this and the cost factor for dope is mostly bared by the smoker/eater ;; anyways Iam not comparing anything ?? Iam simply saying if we have the HUGE money to waste such as refugees then we have money to spare for people such as this women with CF

[gardengirl]

I say our system should cover the drug at least by 80%;; A SB refugee shows up at the border ever day and we bend over backwards to make their life perfect here in Canada but wont assist a person born and raised here??

if that was the big concern then all medical pot shops would have the backing of every mayor in bc . clearly that is not the case and your comparing 2 different things

Geez Mary Jane. NOT every post is about your personal agenda. We all know how you feel about Pot. As for your conspiracy theory about the woman wanting to make the NDP look bad, give your head a shake. Look into the story. Her meds were covered under her husbands plan. The plan changed, she runs out of the medication at the end of the month.

Stop trying to make everything about YOU and your agenda.

[gardengirl]

And when there is a revolutionary injection that will prevent cancer but it costs 1 million dollars per dose to synthesize should gov't pay to make it available to everyone? Yes, I am just stiring the pot here for discussion sake, but really folks, there is the reality of costs and benefits to society as a whole. It is a true moral dilemma. Do we without question save 1000 at huge expense when the funds would be better allocated to 10000 heart transplants? Just asking cuz I don't know. If I had a CF family member the answer might be easy but would it be reasonable expectation?

Cancer is a very broad term,there are many different kinds and it is unlikely that any drug will cure all types so your hypothetical is not realistic. What is realistic is that this drug DOES work and will allow these people to continue to have decent productive lives. As for saving these people instead of investing in heart transplants....well, CF patients need double lung transplants.
As for "society as a whole", I think the money is far better spent helping people with medical conditions which are NO FAULT of their own, than paying for drug addicts who are just sucking the country dry. I would rather pay for Canadian Citizens who need medical assistance, that people who come her illegally and live off our tax dollars while their "refugee" claims are being assessed.