“The internationally accepted, standard treatment regimen for the most common type of brain cancer is not fully accessible in parts of Canada. This contradicts the approach of most other developed countries that have universal health care systems.” People

The Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada has posted detailed information on its website (see link below).   Temozolomide is produced in both brand and generic form and has been long approved for funding on provincial formularies. The issue is not its funding, but in HOW that funding is accessed.

The hope is that this roadmap may serve as a resource to those shaping a national system of pharmacare to demonstrate why a consistent, standardized and monitored method of drug access is essential to maintaining standard of care for cancer in Canada. 

Currently, in Canada, Temozolomide is funded in one of three ways:

The province takes responsibility for funding (100%)
Technically it’s the responsibility of the patient to pay, but the province or hospital offers alternative funding
It is considered a prescription and is a patient’s responsibility to pay.

This means that if you live anywhere in Canada other than British Columbia, Alberta or Saskatchewan, you have some or all of the responsibility as the patient to pay (see roadmap for details).  Imagine, receiving a diagnosis of brain cancer, and having to find a way to pay for the chemotherapy that is the standard treatment.
 ps://www.braintumour.ca/13431/tmz-map

The post “The internationally accepted, standard treatment regimen for the most common type of brain cancer is not fully accessible in parts of Canada. This contradicts the approach of most other developed countries that have universal health care systems.” People with brain cancer should not have to pay for their chemotherapy, regardless of where they reside in this country! appeared first on Steering Through It.