Coalition Priorité Cancer au Québec Supports a Review of the

 News release For immediate distribution Reaction to Quebec's 2014-­‐2015 Budget Coalition Priorité Cancer au Québec Supports a Review of the Prescription Drug Insurance Plan Montreal, June 6, 2014 – Coalition Priorité Cancer au Québec supports the Quebec
Government's intention to review the Prescription Drug Insurance Plan, as announced in the
unveiling of the budget for 2014-2015. In this regard, the Coalition hopes this review will not be
limited to reducing the costs of the Plan, but will also seek to provide patients with access to
new treatments.
The Coalition endorses, for example, the idea of government and innovative drug manufacturers
concluding special risk-sharing agreements. This is just one of the proposals put forward a
couple of years ago by the Institut national d’excellence en santé et services sociaux (INESSS),
with a dual objective in mind, i.e. to improve the management of prescription drug costs, while
facilitating access to new cancer-control products.
Coalition president Nathalie Rodrigue, T.M., and Serge Dion, chairman of the Patients and
Survivors Committee, warn that "such agreements must not serve solely to reduce the budget
allocation for prescription drugs. Patients also need to benefit."
Referring to last Monday's refusal to reimburse, on economic grounds, three1 of the four cancer
drugs submitted for the review of June's formulary, and contrary to the unanimous opinion of
the experts sitting on the Comité de l’évolution de la pratique en oncologie (CÉPO), the Coalition
is asking the Minister of Health and Social Services to reaffirm the weight of therapeutic value in
the new-drugs assessment process.
Yes to activity-based funding, no to postal-code-based funding
Furthermore, faced with the growing needs of the public and those who are sick, Coalition
Priorité Cancer au Québec believes that government must invest more wisely to ensure the
sustainability and quality of health care services and to make sure that the money and resources
follow the patients. The Coalition agrees with the idea of activity-based funding, but is against
the concept of sectorial allocation of services based for example on geographic location (postal
code). "It simply does not work with specialized and ultra-specialized services and denies
patients the right to choose their health care professional and establishment," maintains the
chairman of the Coalition's Patients and Survivors Committee.
Investing in community action to fulfill needs
1
GIOTRIF (lung cancer), KADCYLA (metastatic breast cancer) and STIVARGA (gastrointestinal stromal
tumor)
1 While it deeply regrets the freeze on funding for community organizations, the Coalition urges
the government to invest in the development of health care and social services partnerships that
would allow community organizations to supplement the offering of public services, especially
with respect to chronic illnesses. "Such partnerships could benefit from the knowledge and
expertise that each partner brings in helping people in need," adds Nathalie Rodrigue.
Finally, the Coalition reiterates its support for the tax increase on tobacco products. It also
hopes to see the reinforcement of smoking-prevention programs aimed at our youth, and once
again urges the Minister of Health and Social Services to introduce legislation banning flavoured
tobacco products.
About the Coalition
Coalition Priorité Cancer au Québec was founded in 2001 to protect, support and give a
strong voice to people affected by cancer (patients, survivors, informal caregivers, their
families and their loved ones, as well as cancer-related community organizations and
health professionals) and to help organize the fight against cancer. Because of the
contribution of these organizations and members, the Coalition’s membership
represents close to 1.5 million people.
Alliance of the Cultural Communities for Equality in Health and Social Services (ACCESSS), Association des radiooncologues du Québec (AROQ), Association du cancer de l'Est du Québec (ACEQ), Association des laryngectomisés
de Montréal Inc, Care-Ring-Voice Network, Canadian Breast Cancer Network (CBCN), Cancer testiculaire Canada,
Can Support Cedars, Colorectal Cancer Association of Canada (CCAC), Association québécoise des registraires en
oncologie (AQRO), Association des retraitées et retraités de l’éducation et des autres services publics du Québec
(AREQ), Centre d'action bénévole de Bellechasse - Lévis - Lotbinière (Espoir Cancer), Chaire Environnement-Cancer
Guzzo de l'Université de Montréal, Chaire de recherche et de traitement du cancer de l’UQAM, Conseil pour la
protection des malades (CPM), Colorectal Cancer Association of Canada, Quebec Clinical Research Organization in
Cancer (Q-CROC), Fédération des comités des usagers et de résidents du Québec (FCURQ), Fédération des
travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec (FTQ), Fédération de la physiothérapie en pratique privée du Québec,
Fondation Rêvez la vie, Foundation of Stars, Hope & Cope / L’espoir, c’est la vie, HPV Awareness Corporation,
Institut de l'anémie - Recherche et éducation (IARE), La Maison Aube-Lumière, Le Regroupement québécois des
maladies orphelines; Lymphoma Canada, Lymphedema Association of Quebec, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of
Canada, Mains de l’espoir de Charlevoix, Myeloma Canada, Nova Montréal, Maison Sercan, Ordre des technologues
en imagerie médicale, en radio-oncologie et en électrophysiologie médicale du Québec (OTIMROEPMQ), Ordre
professionnel des technologistes médicaux du Québec (OPTMQ), Organisation québécoise pour les personnes
atteintes de cancer (OQPAC), Organisme gaspésien pour les personnes atteintes de cancer (OGPAC), Ovaire espoir,
Ovarian Cancer Canada (OCC), Palliative Home-care Society of Greater Montreal, ProCure-The Force Against
Prostate Cancer, Professionnals Networking for Caregivers, Quebec Clinical Research Organization in Cancer,
Quebec Lung Association (QLA), Regroupement provincial des comités des usagers (RPCU), Regroupement des
aidants naturels du Québec; Regroupement des Aidants Naturels du Comté de l'Assomption (RANCA), Réseau des
femmes en environnement, Réseau FADOQ, Save Your Skin Foundation, The Alliance of the Cultural Communities
for Equality in Health and Social Services (ACCÉSSS), The Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia Society of Canada; The
Brain Tumor Foundation of Canada; Thyroid Cancer Canada
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Source : Coalition Priorité Cancer au Québec
Information : Sylvie Piché, conseillère en communication
514 868-2009 p. 225
[email protected] 2