disparity in Canadian provinces regarding use of AIs, small molecule drugs

[Lani]

Curr Oncol. 2007 Dec;14 Suppl 1:S3-S10.
Cancer therapy disparity: unequal access to breast cancer therapeutics and drug funding in Canada.

Verma S, Sehdev S, Joy AA.
Division of Medical Oncology, Toronto-Sunny-brook Regional Cancer Centre, Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario.
Adjuvant therapy has made a significant contribution in reducing breast cancer-specific mortality. Standard chemotherapeutics and tamoxifen have been the mainstay treatment for years, but recent clinical evidence supports the use of novel small-molecule therapy and aromatase inhibitor therapy in selected settings, challenging not only the traditional paradigm of breast cancer treatment, but also provincial funding of oncologic care across Canada. The disparity in access to aromatase inhibitor therapy for postmenopausal women with early-stage hormone-sensitive breast cancer across Canada is highlighted as an example.
PMID: 18087606 [PubMed - in process]

[Cathya]

Lani;

As previously discussed, this is a provincial issue and so I would have thought that differences in care and access would differ across the provinces. However, my mother (86 years of age) has a close friend (84 years of age) who has recently been diagnosed with bc in both breasts. She lives in Ontario (as do we) and I am amazed at the difference in treatment she is receiving as compared to mine. I have often felt that someone should sue our national government for access to the best medical services available nationally (using our Charter of Rights). It is the federal government who guarantees our health care and (from a pr point of view) receives, generally, the benefit of it.

Cathy