B.C. health care coverage: More medications under PharmaCare

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More medications will be covered in British Columbia, the provincial Health Ministry says.

In a news release Monday, the ministry released a list of what's included in its new and expanded coverage, the rollout of which began earlier this year.

The following medications were added to that list this year:

• Vedolizumab (Entyvio), which is used in the treatment of moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease – new method of administration covered;
• Medroxyprogesterone acetate (Depo-Provera), for prevention of pregnancy and treatment of endometriosis, as a regular benefit;
• Dapagliflozin (Forxiga) for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, as a limited coverage benefit;
• Enoxaparin biosimilars (Inclunox, Inclunox HP, Noromby, Noromby HP, Redesca, Redesca HP), for treatment and prophylaxis of venous thromboembolism, as a limited coverage benefit;
• Filgrastim biosimilar (Nivestym) for the prevention and treatment of low white blood cell levels as a limited coverage benefit;
• Glucagon intranasal spray (Baqsimi) for the treatment of severe hypoglycemia reactions; and
• Fremanezumab (Ajovy), as a limited coverage benefit for the treatment of chronic and episodic migraines.

Changes were also made back in January to PharmaCare's coverage of medications used to treat multiple sclerosis, and in December, the long-acting contraceptive implant etonogestrel (Nexplanon) was added to its formulary.