CANO/ACIO Supports a National Catastrophic Drug Plan

The Issue: Access to High Cost Cancer Drugs, Including Support Medications
One of the most pressing health care issues facing Canadians dealing with cancer today is the ever-escalating cost of prescription medications. Patients’ inability to access prescription cancer medications, including support medications due to the lack of a personal health insurance plan or the high co-pay is of great concern to oncology nurses. The high cost of medication is of concern to oncology nurses today; it has been a concern of oncology nurses for many years. Oncology nurses see, first hand, the impact that the inability to access needed medication due to costs causes patients and their families. Oncology nurses see the anxiety in the faces of patients and families faces and they hear the stress in their voices when faced with high out-of-pocket costs for medications. Oncology nurses, like other members of the Health Care Team spend time with patients and families assisting them to cope with the high cost of medications and assisting them to get access to the medications they need. The high cost of cancer drugs is not a burden any person should have to deal with during such a traumatic and difficult time in his/her life.

CANO/ACIO’s Position
CANO/ACIO supports a national catastrophic drug coverage plan. Canadians dealing with cancer need a national program to ensure that they can focus on dealing with their illness, not worry about if or how they can get financial coverage for their medication.

What You as a CANO/ACIO Member Can Do
CANO/ACIO nurses can show support of a national catastrophic drug coverage plan through activities such as:

  • Discuss the concerns of escalating drug costs within their chapters.

  • Inform oneself about what is being done at your local level (cancer center, hospital, community) to assist patients to access the medications they need.

  • Advocate on behalf of their patients to key stakeholders (for example, government officials, cancer system administrators, pharmaceutical companies, etc).

  • Become informed of the issue. The Campaign to Control Cancer has outlined a national catastrophic drug coverage plan as a priority for immediate action. Oncology nurses can find information about what the Cancer Advocacy Coalition of Canada is doing regarding this issue by visiting their web site at http://www.controlcancer.ca or by visiting http://action.controlcancer.ca