VICTORIA -- They're called cholinesterase inhibitors, better known as Aricept, Exelon and Reminyl. As of the end of this month, BC will be the only province in Canada not covering them for the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer's Disease. One Kelowna doctor is so incensed over the failure to recognize the benefits of these Health Canada-approved drugs, he made a special trip to Victoria Monday to vent his anger.
Dr. Lee Rasmusen, Physician and Psychiatrist, is so tired of seeing his patients not being able to afford medication to slow the progression of Alzheimer's, he organized this protest to step up the pressure on the provincial government.
Dr. Rasmusen says, "what would we think if they'd said about HIV positive patients, there's no cure, we won't pay for expensive anti-retroviral, and yet they do. Likewise, we'd like the same opportunity for our patients with Alzheimer's disease.
At about $150 a month, this class of medication isn't cheap, but it does seem to help some people with mild to moderate alzheimers like Ann Henschel.
Ann Henschel is an early Alzheimer's patient. She seems to remember everything, you know and do lots of things you know.
Russell Henschel says it seems to be working very well. It seems to be stabilizing the last two years.
But the BC government isn't convinced the drugs do enough.
Health Minister George Abbott says, "we have to be certain, when we add it to the formula, that not only will it benefit the patient, but will not harm the patient."
For almost ten years, Dr. Feldman, Head of Neurology at UBC and VGH Head of Alzheimer's Clinic, has been trying to convince the government that these drugs not only help improve daily function but they also save money because patients are able to stay at home longer.
Dr. Feldman says, "the great apprehension of course is that it's a big problem and it will be expensive, but we recognize already t hat only a small portion of patients are treated and their periods of treatment are on average six months to one year."
Fortunately, the Henschels are able to afford Ann's medication. Doctors are hoping BC will step in for others who can't.
Dr. Lee Rasmusen says, "we want a decision. We want them to do the right thing and cover the medications for these patients as they do for other illnesses."
The benefits of these drugs are modest - 1/3 of patients see an improvement in symptoms - they're memory might not be better, but they're more engaged. 1/3 of patients don't change but that's not a bad outcome for someone with a neurodegenerative disease, and 1/3 of patients decline, but it's not clear how much more they would've declined without the medication. To its credit the BC Government is supporting Alzheimer's research. It recently announced 15 million dollars in new funding.
Tuesday May 16, 2006
