Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions will be directed to the Minister of Health and Social Services. Some time ago a family received a letter. My request was to find out some details about medical coverage for a drug called Rituxan. This drug actually helps people with MS. It has been showing significant promise for people who have been suffering with this.
In the letter it basically says that you need to go through your physician to get approval for this. Well, this family went to go get this type of approval, and they’ve been refused approval for a drug that actually will help bring back quality of life. Mr. Speaker, what more does the Minister need to make sure that the system works for people who need this coverage? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Ms. Lee.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We get this kind of request often. There are disputes between patients who feel that they need medication and a doctor who may feel that they need the medication, but there is an independent committee that reviews the list of pharmaceutical products or drugs that we should approve. It is the committee that makes a decision on whether a drug should be approved for insurance or not. That is the process that’s in place, and I don’t know what else to say to that.
It is really nice that there’s a committee in place, but that doesn’t do much for the family that has a family member who is suffering from MS. This drug is a well known drug that demonstrates progress and promise when you have this disease. As I’m sure most people know, this is quite a debilitating disease. There is only one direction it goes. When we have a drug that shows promise, I think we should be latching on to it.
I guess my real question really comes down to how we get access to this. I have a letter here from the Minister. My original question was: is this covered? The Minister’s letter comes back saying all you have to do is ask for it to get it approved. What more do we need to do?
I am guessing — maybe I shouldn’t guess, but I am assuming — that this patient is under…. Assuming there is some medication for the person’s condition, he would not be without treatment. The dispute is on a specific grant, or there are some experimental drugs that the patient may want to take, and governments across the country have not always approved and agreed to fund some of the medications that are on the market.
I don’t know that. I haven’t had communication from the Member on the latest one, as he was rejected on that. I do have to look to see and make sure that we are providing the patient with as much care as possible.
Thank you, Minister Lee. Time for question period has expired, but I’ll allow a supplementary question. Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Is the Minister saying she will go back and review this file? What is the Minister saying? I just want to be clear on the record that I want to find out what the Minister is willing to do in regard to this family, which feels very strongly that this drug is useful and considered mainstream and normal in other places and shows promise. What is the Minister willing to commit to do on this potential project or on this file? Thank you.
I am willing, if the Member provides me with the name of the family and the drug brand again, to review the file. I’m not saying that I can override the committee’s decision, but at least I can look into making sure that if this medication is not suitable or they’re not willing to approve it, what other options are there. I just want to make sure that his constituent is taken care of as much as possible. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Lee. Final supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you. Just for clarification, the Minister said she doesn’t have the ability to override the committee. I’m not suggesting by any means that we override the committee on one specific case. That turns into a slippery slope regardless of the issue.
What authority does the Minister have to put this drug on the extended health benefits list? If it shows promise, why aren’t we investigating this to make sure we have access to it? Thank you.
As of now I don’t have enough information on the person or the condition or the nature of this drug or why it should not be approved. I just don’t have enough information. So I’m making the commitment to the Member that if he wishes to provide me with that information, I’d like to get more of the facts and see what the options are. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to return to item 7, oral questions.
Unanimous consent granted.
