Yukoners with cystic fibrosis may soon have a new drug treatment covered in the territory.
Legislators unanimously endorsed a motion on Sept. 13 from NDP MLA Annie Blake calling on the house to cover the Trikafta under the Yukon Drug Formulary.
“A drug like this means less surgeries, less trips to the hospital, less therapies, more quality time at home with their loved ones, and, hopefully, a more normal life,” said Blake.
Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease that causes severe damage to the lungs, digestive system and other organs in the body.
Health Canada approved Trikafta on June 18 and the drug can now be prescribed to patients aged 12 and up with cystic fibrosis. According to Cystic Fibrosis Canada the treatment can reduce severe lung disease by 60 per cent, increasing life expectancy by up to nine years.
At its list price the drug costs around $300,000 per year.
In September Ontario, Alberta and Saskatchewan announced they would cover the drug under provincial health programs.
“Cystic fibrosis is not just fatal, it’s a disease that takes pieces of its victims’ lives — from hours of daily inhaled treatments and taking multiple oral medications, to surgeries and weeks in hospital beds,” said Amy Labonte, president of Cystic Fibrosis Yukon, in a statement.
“This new drug has the potential to change so many people’s lives for the better. I urge the government to cover it, so my son and many others can have a better, longer life,” she said.
Contact Haley Ritchie at haley.ritchie@yukon-news.com