Better Drug Coverage In Ontario
I am starting a petition on behalf of Lila Gibeault of Chesterville, Ont., Canada. Lila was diagnosed with colarectal cancer in June 2006. She underwent extensive chemotherapy, radiation & life threatening operations. The cancer still spread to her liver. She is now faced with taking a form of \'chemotherapy cocktail\' which includes a drug called Avastin. The drug Avastin is not covered in Ontario yet and Lila has to pay for her treatments. Each treatment will cost over $1600 and she does not have that kind of money. Lila has applied & been turned down from every drug assistance program because they do not cover the drug Avastin \'YET\'. Lila does not have time to wait until it may or may not be covered by the province. There are many other people across Ontario that also have to pay out of pocket without any assistance from the Ontario Government because their chemotherap drugs are not covered yet. If you are told to take a prescription by your doctor you do so because you know that the doctor knows best. Unfortunately the Government of Ontario believes that most of these drugs are too costly & will not pay for them. How can they say that Lila\'s life is not worth $20,000.00. The Province of BC covers 18 drugs for chemo use that this province won\'t \'yet\'. Most people facing Cancer do not have time to wait. They have to start their treatments now! The answer to Lila\'s dilemma came in our community fundraising to pay for the medicaion she needs to eradicate her liver cancer. What about the other people out there that do not have a small community behind them & cannot get the funds to pay for their medication We need to get the Government to stop playing god by picking & choosing which drugs are or are not covered, & take the individuals best welfare to heart. There needs to be changes made in our OHIP system. There also has to be some sort of application process set up for these people to get the proper monetary support by the government in place for people when they have run out of other options to get their life saving medications paid for. Thank you.
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