Key Takeaways:
- Trikafta, the most recent option to cystic fibrosis therapy, is now more readily accessible thanks to the Ontario government.
- Cystic fibrosis sufferers and their families should speak with their medical team to see if Trikafta is the right course of treatment for them.
The most recent cystic fibrosis therapy alternative, Trikafta, is now more widely available thanks to the Ontario government.
Vic Fedeli, MPP for Nipissing, declared on Saturday that Trikafta’s publicly-funded drug program now covers all individuals six years of age and older. To further lower barriers to patients receiving this life-changing medication, the province is also altering the qualifying requirements to eliminate assessing patients’ lung function.
Over 90% of Canadians with cystic fibrosis can be treated with medicine. Trikafta, however, costs about $300,000 per patient per year at the list price.
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According to Fedeli, “Our government takes very seriously the challenges that cystic fibrosis patients, as well as their families, face due to the crippling impacts of this disease. We also recognize that there is hope that each new treatment may bring about the promised improvement.
“That’s why we must act swiftly to help these patients and base our decisions on the strongest available evidence,” she continued.
Previously, Ontarians 12 and older were the only ones eligible for treatment. Following new guidelines from the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technology in Health, Ontario is now the first jurisdiction to increase access to children ages six to eleven.
Fedeli continued, “I said a week ago that we would work very hard to get this done quickly because we believe in it, and two days later, there it is.
To find out if Trikafta is the best course of treatment for them, cystic fibrosis patients and their families should get in touch with their medical team.
Source: Global News
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