News
Canadian province won't pay for Alpha's infusions, though nearby provinces cover the drug cost
C-News (Canada)
CALGARY, Alberta — A grandmother says it’s frustrating that the drug for a lung condition is not covered by the province, even though they are paid for in the nearby Canadian provinces of British Columbia and Manitoba.
Sandie Tomlinson, 57, was diagnosed with Alpha 1 Antitrypsin Deficiency — a genetic condition in which she lacks a protein to protect her lungs.
The condition gave her a predisposition to severe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and without treatment, Tomlinson’s prognosis is just two to five years.
“Your life stops… any plans that you had all have to be changed.”
Respirologist Kristin Frase, MD, said though Tomlinson’s lungs are functioning at less than 30%, the progression of her disease could be inhibited by a drug called Prolastin-C.
owever, the plasma-derived drug, which would replace Tomlinson’s missing enzyme, costs $80,000 per year and is not covered in Alberta.
“Although this is not a condition we talk about a lot, it’s actually not that uncommon — it probably affects individuals with the same frequency as cystic fibrosis … so there are a lot of people out there who could potentially benefit from this medication.”
What’s most frustrating for Tomlinson is that the B.C. and Manitoba governments cover the cost of Prolastin-C. “If I lived three hours west or 10 hours east I would be covered,” she said.
