Man fights to get cancer drug funded
Published Monday May 11th, 2009
Costly | Medication runs about $1,200 per week
Frank Taylor may be fighting colon cancer, but he still has enough energy to pressure the province to cover the expensive colorectal cancer medication Avastin.
New Brunswick is one of only three Canadian provinces that don't pay for the medication - Prince Edward Island and Manitoba are the others.
That's forced Taylor to borrow about $35,000 from the bank to pay for his costly treatment sessions.
He said he's been drumming up support for the cause since he was diagnosed with colon cancer months ago, and he won't stop until every New Brunswicker is given the same access to the drug as other Canadians.
"We've got to do something about this," he said.
"My sister lives in Ottawa and she could walk in (to a doctor's office) and they'd look after her. I don't feel bad about that at all, but if I lived there, or in Amherst, I wouldn't have a problem."
Avastin slows the flow of blood to cancerous tumours and may extend a person's life by months, or even years, if combined successfully with chemotherapy.
Health Minister Mike Murphy has spoken about the need to develop a catastrophic drug program in New Brunswick, but he said it would take millions of dollars to get a plan running.
Taylor said he's become familiar with having to find money.
The Ritchie Lake resident said he's been paying $1,200 per week for the expensive drug - money that has forced him to significantly change his budget.
Taylor said he understands the faltering economy has made it hard for governments to fund many new programs, but the lives of many New Brunswickers may depend on this medication.
"I can understand the province needs (millions of dollars per year) to finance (a catastrophic drug plan)," he said.
"And I know they don't want to come up with (that money) this year, but they're going to have to come up with it soon."
Carrol Stewart has spent the past year collecting more than 4,200 signatures in support of the cause.
Since Stewart's taken up the fight, she's been surprised by the number of people she's met who have needed this medication.
"Just in the small area where I live in, there's probably been about seven people who needed this drug," she said.
"Only one was able to afford it. So that means the other people had no chance whatsoever. It doesn't seem fair."
Murphy wasn't available for comment, but Department of Health spokeswoman Meghan Cumby said the province is considering whether it should fund the medication.
"Avastin continues to be under review," she said in an emailed statement.
"The New Brunswick Cancer Network continues to closely monitor provincial funding decisions and the clinical evidence on Avastin. (The network) works closely and collaboratively with other provinces and territories towards a common drug review process for oncology drugs."
Taylor said he's going to keep fighting until he knows everyone will get the medication they need.
"I still think there's a chance that the government will put this through if I can get enough support out there," he said.
"A lot of people are really sympathetic to me, but I want to be sympathetic to the other 400 (New Brunswickers dealing with colorectal cancer) wandering around. I don't think many get Avastin (because of the high cost)."
Disabled
Search Articles
More CE Network Sites & Partners:
Comments (6)
All comments are subject to the site Terms of Use. For a full commenting tutorial click here.
Our editorial team relies on filtering technology and our visitor community to identify inappropriate comments. In the event that a site user has submitted offensive content that has evaded our filter, please select the option to Flag As Inappropriate presented within the comment. Thank you for helping to keep this site clean.
Colon cancer, among others, can be prevented, stopped in it's tracks, and even reversed through diet and lifestyle. Just like diabetes. We are very deceived, as are our doctors who get their info. from ghost writers for big pharma.
Of the large body of evidence out there, I highly recommend reading the following...
T. Colin Campbell's, THE CHINA STUDY, it could save your life! So could being your own advocate, doing a little research, and thinking critically.
Best of luck Frank:)
Ask any doctor and they will tell you that chemo is only effective for 2% of cancers, yet it is the standard treatment for all cancers??? Even then, it does not "cure" cancer, it merely buys some time, of which is usually very poor quality. What it essentially does is strip away your body's one defense, your immunity.
The day will come when we look upon conventional cancer treatments the way we not look at blood letting. Very barbaric, and for the most part, ineffective.
Again, we are very deceived...be a critical thinker, not a passive dope, as my professor always said.
Our hearts go out to you Frank and wish you all the best in fighting this terrible disease.
In defense of "StrangeDays", it appears that they did show compassion in their first post. And the attack doesn't seem to be against this man personally, yet on conventional medicine and big pharma. Also, a person shouldn't be ridiculed for being a critical thinker and educated, and by encouraging others to do the same to improve their quality of life and health. That's how I read the message anyway.
Again, best of luck Frank.