Hi all, The drug Ropinirole, is also known as Requip. It is a great drug, I am on it have been able to go off the Sinemet drug. Janice 51/50/46 ----- Original Message ----- From: judith richards <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Wednesday, April 14, 1999 7:27 AM Subject: News-Red tape hobbles Parkinson's drugs > Wednesday, April 14, 1999 > > Red tape hobbles Parkinson's drugs > > Pramipexole, Ropinirole not covered by drug plan > By MARY-JANE EGAN, Free Press Health Reporter > > Parkinson's patients are being neglected in Ontario because two > promising drugs aren't covered under the > province's drug plan, says a frustrated London doctor. > > Dr. Mandar Jog, director of London Health Sciences Centre's movement > disorder centre, said patients who could > benefit from the drugs Pramipexole and Ropinirole may go without because > they can't afford the annual $1,200 to > $2,000 cost. > > Jog said patients who lack private drug insurance coverage must either > pay for the drugs or go through the > "bureaucratic maze" of a Section 8 application under the provincial drug > plan -- a step that leads to mountains of > paperwork and headaches for the doctor. > > Costs of the drugs vary, depending on the dose required for particular > Parkinson's patients. > > Health Ministry spokesperson Barry Wilson said the two drugs in question > were not recommended for coverage > by the ministry's drug quality and therapeutics committee -- an arm's > length expert panel that reviews drug > manufacturers' submissions for listing on the Ontario drug formulary. > > Jog said the refusal by Ontario to cover the drugs raises troubling > questions about "equality of care." He asks: > "Why is Ontario one of the few provinces that doesn't cover these drugs, > which are proven to be effective for > certain Parkinson's patients?" > > Wilson noted the province did cover 1,000 claims for the drugs in > question last year through the Section 8 process > in which doctors justify why coverage should be granted in a particular > case. > > "It is a very tedious process," Jog said yesterday. "First, we have to > have tried approved drugs and prove that > they've failed and then the government will approve coverage for a brief > period -- and then you reapply. When you > have 150 patients, all with different drug renewal dates, you can > imagine the paperwork. All we want is what's best > for our patients -- and for patients where these drugs work, they should > be covered." > > Wilson said since 1995, 11 new drugs for Parkinson's disease were added > to the formulary, bringing the total > number of covered Parkinson's drugs to 19. > > Jog was adding his voice to that of the Parkinson Foundation of Canada, > which held a news conference yesterday > arguing the drugs should be covered by Ontario's drug plan. > > Allan Ward, 68, of Ingersoll, has been taking Ropinirole since December > after getting approval through the Section > 8 process. He said the drug helps control all his Parkinson's symptoms > and he is puzzled why it hasn't been > approved as part of the drug plan. > > "Why Ontario is dragging its feet on this is beyond me," Ward said, > agreeing a Section 8 application causes > unnecessary work for the doctor. > > Parkinson's is a chronic, debilitating neuromuscular disease affecting > more than 100,000 Canadians. > > The disease makes it difficult for sufferers to control their movements, > often resulting in tremors, slow movement > and sudden, uncontrolled motions. > > The disease gained widespread attention last year when Canadian actor > Michael J. Fox divulged he suffers from > the condition. > > Jog said many patients respond favourably to Pramipexole and Ropinirole. > "But until the provincial government > makes them available, many Ontarians are going without. > > "We don't have any hidden agenda here," Jog added. "We just want what's > best for patients." > -- > Judith Richards, London, Ontario, Canada > <[log in to unmask]> >