VANCOUVER - Representatives of B.C.'s Chinese community are hailing the provincial government's decision to cover new hepatitis B drugs as a victory for people suffering from the disease.
People of Asian descent suffer disproportionately from hepatitis B, and lobbyists from the group S.U.C.C.E.S.S. have been pushing the government for some time, said the group's CEO, Tung Chan.
"Many patients in Chinese communities and other ethnic origins across B.C. now have even more options and better drug coverage through B.C.'s PharmaCare program," said Chan.
Hepatitis B affects between 0.2 and 0.5 percent of the general population in Canada -- between 30,000 to 60,000 people in British Columbia.
But many patients are immune to the drugs that are covered under the current PharmaCare program.
That means they suffer an inflammation of the liver that can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer -- without treatment.
Last year, a pilot program providing the new drugs -- adefovir (Hepsera) and entecavir (Baraclude) -- closed, leaving many with the disease wondering how they would get treatment.
Starting Thursday, patients meeting eligibility criteria can apply for the drugs through their physician. Patients will still be responsible for meeting PharmaCare deductibles and co-payments.
Adding the two drugs is expected to cost about $3 million per year.
The addition (of these two drugs) will greatly improve the quality of life for people suffering from the disease, said B.C.'s Health Minister George Abbot in an announcement today.
"Adefovir will provide a treatment option for patients who develop resistance to one of the existing drugs, and entecavir will provide an alternative for patients who are not responsive to currently available drug therapies for hepatitis B," he said.
