Alberta uses grant to cover drug costs for boy
CBC News
Posted: Mar 21, 2011 11:13 AM MT
Last Updated: Mar 21, 2011 11:13 AM MT
Ethan Richarde, 9, and mother Noella Richarde, at the Alberta legislature Friday to meet Health Minister Gene Zwozdesky. (CBC)
Alberta Health has found a unique way to foot the bill for an expensive drug for a Grande Prairie, Alta boy who suffers from a rare and painful skin disease.
“When his pain hits — I've seen some of it today — it is very severe, he needs something to help him and apparently Xolair does,” said Alberta Health Minister Gene Zwozdesky after meeting Ethan Richarde, Friday.
Richarde, 9, suffers from Job's syndrome, a condition that leaves painful rashes all over his body.
Richarde took the drug Xolair until his mother’s health insurance stopped, and she could no longer afford to pay the drug’s cost of more than $3,000 a month.
The province covers the cost of Xolair as a treatment for certain asthma cases, but not for Job's syndrome, so Zwozdesky is providing a special grant to cover the cost.
"This will cover whatever the first year's treatment will be and it'll be evaluated ongoing after that and will be provided for as long as the child needs it to avoid the pain,” said Zwozdesky.
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