The CML Society of Canada is very pleased to be joining forces with over 33 other patient organizations to raise awareness of the inequality and discrimination of cancer patients that exists in Canada today.
Canadian Cancer patients face discrimination based on the type of cancer they are diagnosed with and by where they live in Canada. While many provinces in Canada has move forward to close the gaps and ensure equality, sadly, several provinces have not. In Ontario and in the Atlantic provinces patients who are treated with oral cancer drugs are treated outside of our national health care system and many patients are left to scramble to find financial assistance to help them cover the cost of these expensive drugs.
A new report from the Cameron Institute demonstrates an investment of roughly one per cent of Ontario’s 2012 drug budget will ensure all patients in the province have timely access to the safe and effective oral cancer treatments they need. The same holds true proportionally for Atlantic Provinces[i].
Moreover, patients on oral cancer drugs save the health care system an estimated 17% in cost as the oral cancer drugs are taken at home. Yet, they do this at their own expense and at the expense of their families at a time when their incomes and revenues may be seriously compromised due to the diagnosis of cancer.
We need the help and support of you our patients and hematologist/Oncologists across Canada to help us win this fight for CML patients and patients with Myelofibrosis. We are asking you to help us by talking to your patients and making them aware of this very important campaign. We are in constant need of Doctors from our community in Ontario and in the Atlantic provinces who are willing to speak out and to locate patients who do not mind speaking to the media about this important topic. Many patients do not want to speak to the media or even speak publicly because of the fear of repercussions from their employers and the problems it may cause for their family members and importantly, the risk of exposure to additional discrimination.
We have attached the official press release to this news bulletin.
If you can help us with this important effort, please do not hesitate to communicate directly to our President, Cheryl-Anne Simoneau as she is coordinating the communications for this program on behalf of The CML Society of Canada:
cheryl.simoneau@cmlsociety.org
Or fill out the form below.
CanCertainty News Release – March 5 – EMBARGOED UNTIL MARCH 10 7 AM EST
[i] Taylor, W. D. (2014). The Institutionalized Discrimination of Cancer Patients – Not What Tommy Douglas Intended: A Business Case for Universal Coverage of Oral Cancer Medicines in Ontario and Atlantic Canada.
