DRUG PLAN TO COVER ARICEPT

Released on October 24, 2000

Aricept, a drug used in the treatment of Alzheimer disease, will be covered

under the Saskatchewan Drug Plan for patients with mild to moderate forms of

the disease.



The provincial government has accepted the Saskatchewan Formulary Committee's

recent recommendation to cover Aricept as long as specific medical criteria are

met Associate Health Minister Judy Junor announced today.



"This announcement will help put Aricept in the hands of those who are most

likely to benefit," Junor said. "Aricept has been shown to help some patients

with day-to-day tasks, leading to a better quality of life for those patients

and their caregivers.''



The Formulary Committee, after reviewing all of the clinical studies and

consulting with medical experts, concluded Aricept may provide some benefit to

one in five Alzheimer patients and therefore recommended coverage under the

Exception Drug Status Program.



Eligible patients will share in the cost of Aricept, as with other drugs

covered under the Drug Plan. Benefits of the drug plan are targetted to assist

families with low-incomes or high drug costs or a combination of the two.



Alzheimer patients who wish to be covered for Aricept must be first assessed by

a physician. Those who have a mild to moderate form of the disease will be

covered. Follow-up assessments will be completed periodically to determine

whether coverage should continue. Coverage will be available starting Dec. 6.



Aricept costs approximately $185 per month. The estimated cost to the

government of covering Aricept under the Exception Drug Status Program is

$500,000 for the remainder of the 2000-2001 fiscal year and $1 million on an

annual basis.



The Saskatchewan Prescription Drug Plan now covers more than 3,000 products and

assists more than 100,000 families with the cost of drugs. To keep pace with

the growing number of prescriptions and the rising cost of drugs, the drug plan

budget was increased by 27 per cent in the 2000-01 budget, to $99 million.



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For more information, contact:



Cherilyn Cooke

Communications Branch, Saskatchewan Health

Regina

Phone: (306) 787-4083