March 7, 2021

Winnipeg
-1° C, Clear

Full Forecast

Contact Us Subscribe Manage Subscription Chat with us
Log in Create Free Account Help Chat with us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertising Contact
    • Submit a News Tip
    • Subscribe to Newsletters

    • Finding your
      information

    • My Account
    • Manage my Subscription
    • Change Password

    • Grid View
    • List View
    • Compact View
    • Text Size
    • Translate

    • Log Out
    • Log in
    • Create Free Account
    • Help

    • Grid View
    • List View
    • Compact View
    • Text Size
    • Translate
  • Coronavirus Coverage
  • Replica E-Edition
    • About the E-Edition
    • Winnipeg Free Press
    • The Herald
    • The Headliner
    • The Lance
    • The Metro
    • The Sou'Wester
    • The Times
  • Above the Fold
  • Front page
  • Arts & Life
    • All Arts & Life
    • The Arts
    • Autos
    • Books
    • Book Club
    • Cannabis
    • Celebrities
    • Diversions
    • Puzzles
    • Environment
    • Events
    • Faith
    • Food & Drink
    • Your Health
    • Life & Style
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Science & Technology
    • TV
    • Travel
  • Business
    • All Business
    • Agriculture
    • Personal Finance
  • Canada
  • Local
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Columnists
    • Editorials
    • Editorial Cartoons
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Send a Letter to the Editor
  • Sports
    • All Sports
    • Amateur
    • Auto Racing
    • Blue Bombers
    • Curling
    • Football
    • Goldeyes
    • Golf
    • High School
    • Hockey
    • Horse Racing
    • Winnipeg Jets
    • Manitoba Moose
    • WHL
    • MLB
    • NBA
    • Olympics
    • Soccer
  • World
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Advertising
    • Contact Us
    • Carrier Positions & Retailer Requests
    • FP Newspapers Inc.
    • History
    • Internships
    • Job Opportunities
    • News Café
    • Privacy Policy
    • Retail Locations
    • Staff Biographies
    • Terms and Conditions
  • Archives
  • Canstar Community News
    • All Canstar Community News
    • The Headliner
    • The Herald
    • The Lance
    • The Metro
    • The Sou'wester
    • The Times
    • Sports
    • Events
    • Contact Us
    • E-Editions
  • Classifieds
  • Contests
  • Coupons
    • All Coupons
    • Staples Copy & Print Coupons
    • Ripley's Aquariums Coupons
    • The Bay Coupons
    • Staples Canada Coupons
    • Altitude Sports Coupons
    • Nike Coupons
    • Tuango Coupons
    • Ebay Canada Coupons
    • Sport Chek Coupons
    • Roots Coupons
  • Sponsored
    • Publications
    • Sponsored Articles
  • Flyers
  • Homes
    • Property Listings
    • Featured News
    • Renovation and design
    • New homes
    • Resale homes
  • Newsletters
  • Obituaries
  • Puzzles
  • Photostore
  • More

©2021 FP Newspaper Inc.

Close
  • Quick Links

    • Coronavirus Coverage
    • Above the Fold
    • Home
    • Local
    • Canada
    • World
    • Classifieds
    • Special Coverage
    • Flyers
    • Newsletters
    • Obituaries
    • Photostore
    • Archives
    • Contests
    • Publications
    • Sponsored Content
    • Privacy Policy

    Ways to support us

    • Pay it Forward program
    • Subscribe
    • Day Pass
    • Read Now Pay later
  • Replica E-Edition

    • About the E-Edition
    • Winnipeg Free Press
    • The Herald
    • The Headliner
    • The Lance
    • The Metro
    • The Sou'Wester
    • The Times

    Business

    • All Business
    • Agriculture
    • Personal Finance
  • Arts & Life

    • All Arts & Life
    • The Arts
    • Autos
    • Books
    • Cannabis
    • Celebrities
    • Diversions
    • Puzzles
    • Environment
    • Events
    • Faith
    • Food & Drink
    • Your Health
    • Life & Style
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Science & Technology
    • TV
    • Travel
  • Sports

    • All Sports
    • Amateur
    • Auto Racing
    • Blue Bombers
    • Curling
    • Football
    • Goldeyes
    • Golf
    • High School
    • Hockey
    • Horse Racing
    • Winnipeg Jets
    • Manitoba Moose
    • WHL
    • MLB
    • NBA
    • Olympics
    • Soccer
  • Opinion

    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Columnists
    • Editorials
    • Editorial Cartoons
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Send a Letter to the Editor

    Media

    • All Media
    • Photo Galleries
    • Videos

    Homes

    • Property Listings
    • Featured News
    • Renovation and design
    • New homes
    • Resale homes
  • Canstar Community News

    • All Canstar Community News
    • The Headliner
    • The Herald
    • The Lance
    • The Metro
    • The Sou'wester
    • The Times
    • Sports
    • Events
    • Contact Us
    • E-Editions
  • Coupons

    • All Coupons
    • Staples Copy & Print Coupons
    • Ripley's Aquariums Coupons
    • The Bay Coupons
    • Staples Canada Coupons
    • Altitude Sports Coupons
    • Nike Coupons
    • Tuango Coupons
    • Ebay Canada Coupons
    • Sport Chek Coupons
    • Roots Coupons
  • About Us

    • About Us
    • Advertising
    • Contact Us
    • Carrier Positions & Retailer Requests
    • FP Newspapers Inc.
    • History
    • Internships
    • Job Opportunities
    • News Café
    • Privacy Policy
    • Retail Locations
    • Staff Biographies
    • Terms and Conditions
Winnipeg Free Press
Articles Read
Your Balance +tax
Day Pass Till
Day Pass
    • Contact Us
    • Advertising Contact
    • Report an Error
    • Send a Letter to the Editor
    • Staff Biographies
    • Submit a News Tip
    • Subscribe to Newsletters

    • Finding your
      information

    • Log in
    • Create Account
    • Help
    • Chat with us

    • Grid View
    • List View
    • Compact View
    • Text Size
    • Translate
    • My Account
    • Manage My Subscription
    • Change Password
    • Chat with us

    • Grid View
    • List View
    • Compact View
    • Text Size
    • Translate

    • Log Out
Log in Create Account Contact Us
Contact Us Manage Subscription
  • Sections
  • Local
  • Arts & Life
    • All Arts & Life
    • The Arts
    • Autos
    • Books
    • Diversions
    • Environment
    • Faith
    • Food & Drink
    • Health
    • Movies
    • Music
    • TV
    • Travel
  • Business
  • Sports
    • All Sports
    • Amateur
    • Blue Bombers
    • Curling
    • Football
    • Goldeyes
    • High School
    • Hockey
    • Winnipeg Jets
    • Manitoba Moose
    • WHL
    • MLB
    • NBA
    • Soccer
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Columnists
    • Editorials
    • Editorial Cartoons
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Send a Letter to the Editor
  • E-Edition
  • Homes
  • Classifieds
    • All Classifieds
    • Announcements
    • Automotive
    • Careers
    • Garage Sales
    • Merchandise
    • Pets
    • Real Estate
    • Rentals
    • Services
  • Sponsored
    • Publications
    • Sponsored Articles
  • Coupons
    • All Coupons
    • Staples Copy & Print
    • Ripley's Aquariums
    • The Bay
    • Staples Canada
    • Altitude Sports
    • Nike
    • Tuango
    • Ebay Canada
    • Sport Chek
    • Roots
  • Obituaries
  • Subscribe
Local

Advertisement

Advertise With Us

Manitoba Liberals push for coverage of high-cost cancer drug

Larry Kusch By: Larry Kusch
Posted: 5:18 PM CDT Thursday, May. 9, 2019

  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Print
  • Email
RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS</p><p>Jennette Heinrichs, 42, has Stage 4 breast cancer and is out-of-pocket $7,000 for a drug her oncologist has prescribed that is not yet covered by pharmacare. Manitoba Liberals say the government needs to fast-track approval for the cancer treatment.</p>

RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS

Jennette Heinrichs, 42, has Stage 4 breast cancer and is out-of-pocket $7,000 for a drug her oncologist has prescribed that is not yet covered by pharmacare. Manitoba Liberals say the government needs to fast-track approval for the cancer treatment.

A 42-year-old Winnipeg woman with Stage 4 breast cancer is out of pocket $7,000 and counting because the drug her oncologist has prescribed is not covered by Pharmacare.

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 9/5/2019 (668 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A 42-year-old Winnipeg woman with Stage 4 breast cancer is out of pocket $7,000 and counting because the drug her oncologist has prescribed is not covered by Pharmacare.

Jennette Heinrichs, who is on long-term disability, has had to sell her car and cut other costs in order to pay for her lifesaving treatment.

She has been told fulvestrant — a hormonal treatment for advanced breast cancer — is on a list of medications awaiting approval from the province, but she doesn't know when, or if, it will be covered.

"It's very stressful," Heinrichs said Thursday. "It just feels as though I'm caught in a bureaucratic crack in the system. It's very frustrating."

She said she's spoken with officials at Pharmacare, the province, and CancerCare Manitoba about possible funding she could receive to offset the high costs of treatment. But there doesn't seem to be anything available.

"There needs to be some kind of fund that helps people that are caught in this kind of situation," she said in an interview.

Heinrichs contacted the Manitoba Liberals, who took up her cause Thursday.

"She's essentially being bankrupted by the costs of the medication," Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont told reporters.

"If we can afford a PST cut that is going to cost us $300 million (per year) and we can't afford to pay for people's lifesaving drugs, I find that hard to swallow."

Heinrichs said fulvestrant by itself has limited use but it is now available in combination with another drug — also not covered by the provincial drug program but which is being offered for free, for now, by the pharmaceutical company.

According to the Canadian Breast Cancer Network, fulvestrant, sold under the brand name Faslodex, is not yet covered by any province.

Health Minister Cameron Friesen said he has spoken with the head of CancerCare Manitoba about the drug. He said he's been told there are fewer than 100 persons in the province currently looking to access it.

Friesen said he is mindful some Manitobans "face tremendous challenges trying to pay for prescriptions," and discussions are underway to list certain high-cost drugs, such as fulvestrant, for coverage. He said he could not say anything more, so as not to imperil negotiations with pharmaceutical companies.

Stay informed

The latest updates on the novel coronavirus and COVID-19.

Subscribe to COVID-19 Briefing
Sign Up

He said he hoped he would have more to say about fulvestrant "quite soon."

A spokeswoman for CancerCare said manufacturer AstraZeneca Canada Inc. had previously offered a special access program to cover the drug's costs. The drug maker closed entry to the program in January 2018, although 17 patients who were enrolled at the time continue to benefit from it.

The CancerCare spokeswoman said "less than five patients" have received the drug since the access program was closed.

Meanwhile, Lamont did not lay all responsibility for helping patients such as Heinrichs at the feet of the Pallister government.

He said Ottawa must step up by instituting a national pharmacare program that would reduce drug prices. Lamont also blamed national regulators for extending patent protection for fulvestrant, preventing a generic equivalent from being produced.

larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca

Larry Kusch

Larry Kusch
Legislature reporter

Larry Kusch didn’t know what he wanted to do with his life until he attended a high school newspaper editor’s workshop in Regina in the summer of 1969 and listened to a university student speak glowingly about the journalism program at Carleton University in Ottawa.

   Read full biography

Advertisement

Advertise With Us

  • Report Error
  • Submit a Tip
  • Refund

The Winnipeg Free Press invites you to share your opinion on this story in a letter to the editor. A selection of letters to the editor are published daily.

To submit a letter:
• fill out the form on this page, or
• email letters@freepress.mb.ca, or
• mail Letters to the Editor, 1355 Mountain Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R2X 3B6.

Letters must include the writer’s full name, address, and a daytime phone number. Letters are edited for length and clarity.

Advertisement

Advertise With Us

Top