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. […]
Though many plan sponsors are still using step therapy to manage drug plan costs, pharmacogenetic testing is receiving attention as more providers enter the market, lower the cost and familiarize employers and insurers with the technology. As it becomes more sophisticated, there’s more information about how pharmacogentic testing works, says Sandra Ventin, associate vice-president at […]
The Competition Bureau has discontinued an inquiry into allegations that Janssen Inc. inhibited the Canadian market for biosimilar products that compete with its biologic product Remicade. Given the significant impact of biologics in Canada, the report highlights some of the competition issues related to the biologics and biosimilars market. Although the bureau expressed concerns about the […]
As a job title, ‘drug case manager’ can imply different things across the health-care and benefits industries. In Canada, a drug case manager may be part of a drug manufacturer’s patient support program or an insurance company’s preferred pharmacy network, while hospitals have case managers at various levels, says Suzanne Nagy, drug consulting leader for […]
The Ontario government is proposing a rollback of OHIP+, which would restrict the free prescription drug coverage program to dependants under age 25 who aren’t covered by private plans. The previous Liberal government implemented the program in January 2018 with an estimated cost of $465 million annually. It covered all OHIP-insured dependants under age 25 […]
Something interesting happened this month as we examined the 2018 experience of two different plan sponsors in two separate geographies with different demographics. The only similarity between the plans is they both have 80,000 or more individual claimants on their drug plan annually. At the same time last year, we completed a series of predictive analytics on […]
Treating mental health with medications is very different from treating an infection, so why do many people, and many employers, treat them like they’re one and the same? When enhancing communications around wellness programs, plan sponsors should seek innovative ways to support employees with how they use medications and help them understand the interactions between drugs and mental […]
On Dec. 5, the 2018 Face to Face Drug Plan Management Forum in Toronto highlighted the leading issues for plan sponsors to consider in the year ahead, including medical cannabis, pharmacogenetics and drug plan sustainability. Here are some of the highlights of the sessions: A look at the benefits of patient support programs for plan […]
With patient support programs providing a number of benefits for private plan stakeholders, ongoing digitization is likely to allow even greater connectivity and personalization for patients, physicians and payers in the near future. During a panel exploring these initiatives at Benefits Canada‘s Face to Face Drug Plan Management Forum in Toronto on Dec. 5, Sandra Anderson, vice-president of […]