17 December 2017 - Residents urged to pressure government to help Vernon woman gain access to life-saving medication.

As I read that Melissa Verleg is still being held in limbo regarding whether or not the provincial ministry will pay for her necessary medication (Orkambi) for CF, I am both saddened and angry. Saddened because I can’t even begin to imagine the emotional toll this is taking on Melissa and her family, and angry because the more I read about this situation, the more it seems to me that it is just another bureaucratic boondoggle but this time, one that is playing out with someone’s life. 

According to Provincial Health Minister Dix, the issue is twofold from their perspective …. 1) the cost, and 2) Dix claims that the drug has not been approved for use in Canada. So addressing the first issue regarding cost, which is specious at best, given that just recently the Ministry approved payment for Soliris for a young woman at a cost of $750,000 a year, whereas Melissa’s required medication would cost $250,000 a year, a third of the cost of the aforementioned drug so one can’t help but query why $250,000/year is cost prohibitive whereas $750,000 is not.

Read Vernon Morning Star article