The Health Association of Nova Scotia, which has a number of different employers in its benefits plan, cites rheumatoid arthritis medications as its top drugs in terms of cost. “Chronic disease, in terms of inflammatory disease — not just for rheumatoid, but for Crohn’s disease as well — those are what we’re seeing from a […]
While “brain fog” isn’t a clinical condition, it feels like forgetfulness, slow thinking and difficulty concentrating. It happens to everyone at some point and can often impact productivity at work. Some common causes of brain fog include stress, lack of sleep, dehydration, hormonal changes from pregnancy or andropause/menopause, an unhealthy diet, vitamin B12 deficiency, chemotherapy and side-effects […]
Specialty medications and high-cost drugs for common conditions are driving up private plan drug spending, according to Express Scripts Canada’s annual drug trends report. The report found the rapid increases in drug spending for private plans over the last 20 years have started to slow. The average annual drug spending per plan member was up just 0.9 per cent […]
In September 2018, Health Canada approved, for the first time, the use of a chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy. Called Kymriah, it treats pediatric and young adult leukemia and adult lymphoma. The federal regulator is also reviewing a second gene therapy, called Yescarta, for an aggressive kind of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Both therapies are […]
On Feb. 27 in Toronto, the 2019 Employers Cancer Care Summit addressed cancer-related concerns tied to benefits plans in the workplace. Here’s what you missed: Gap services one solution to evolving developments in immunotherapy When it comes to cancer treatment, immunotherapy is a game changer with an exciting future ahead, according to Dr. Jeff Rothenstein. […]
When it comes to cancer treatment, immunotherapy is a game changer with an exciting future ahead, according to Dr. Jeff Rothenstein. However, the therapy, where a patient’s immune system is used to help their body help itself, is a field that’s difficult to track, said Dr. Jeff Rothenstein, medical oncologist and lung cancer site group leader at R.S. McLaughlin Durham […]
Since today’s cancer patients are much younger than they were in the past, doctors are treating patients who are actively working and are young parents, said Dr. Christine Brezden-Masley, oncologist and division head of hematology/oncology at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. “When you get a cancer diagnosis, it changes your entire life,” she said at a session at Benefits Canada‘s Employers Cancer […]
Since human papillomavirus can have a significant impact on the health of the working-age population, it’s necessary to talk to patients and employees at to look at the health benefits of vaccines, said Dr. Vivien Brown. Brown, a family physician and vice-president of medical affairs at Medisys Health Group, discussed the current issues and epidemiology of […]
When Betty-Lynn LaFrance was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2017, she was completely shocked as she’d never smoked and had been very active her entire life. Born and raised in Pembroke, Ont., where she still lives with her husband of 34 years, LaFrance has three children and seven grandchildren. When she was diagnosed with ALK+ non-small cell lung […]
Living her best life with her husband Jeremy, Karen Formosa was looking forward to retiring within the next six years. But all that changed when she was diagnosed in 2018, at the age of 56, with stage 3 BRAF melanoma. “The end of February 2018, I spotted the ball on the right side of my […]