Cancer Drug Statistics
Some truth about Cancer drugs in Canada
Lots of clients when we discuss about Drug coverage for cancer treatment, ask us: Well, isn't that covered by our medicare...?
The sad truth; Not always.
Unless you know someone close that went thru treatment, you might not realize that lots of drugs are not covered by medicare.
Their next question: Who pays for those Drugs...?
YOU DO! Either from a personal drug plan, a group drug plan or from your own out-of-pocket.
Not to scare, but this is the reality we leave in. With Medicare, we are covered when we are in hospitals, but we need to make sure we have our family well insured.
Here are a few facts:
- About 50% of newer cancer drugs are taken at home and, as a result, in most provinces patients can be responsible for the full cost[1].
- The average cost of a single course of treatment with newer cancer drugs cost $65,000[2].
- Of the 12 cancer drugs approved by Health Canada between 2000 and 2009 that are administered outside a hospital or clinic, ¾ cost over $20,000 or more annually[3].
[1] Backgrounder: Cancer Drug
Access. Canadian Cancer Society. 29 Sep 2010.
http://www.cancer.ca/Canada-wide/About%20us/Media%20centre/CW-Media%20releases/CW-2010/Backgrounder%20Cancer%20Drug%20Access.aspx?sc_lang=EN
[2] Majority of Canadians Worried About
Cost of Cancer Drugs. Canadian Cancer
Society press release, Sep 29, 2010. http://www.cancer.ca/Canada-wide/About%20us/Media%20centre/CW-Media%20releases/CW-2010/Majority%20of%20Canadians%20Worried%20about%20Cost%20of%20Cancer%20Drugs.aspx?sc_lang=EN
[3]
Cancer Drug Access for
Canadians. Canadian Cancer Society.
September 2009. http://www.cancer.ca/canada-wide/about%20us/media%20centre/cw-media%20releases/cw-2009/~/media/CCS/Canada%20wide/Files%20List/English%20files%20heading/pdf%20not%20in%20publications%20section/CANCER%20DRUG%20ACCESS%20FINAL%20-%20English.ashx
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