Woman with blood disorder finds B.C. is only province not to cover ‘life-changing’ drug

A B.C. woman says she feels abandoned by the health care system, as the province in which she lives is the only one in Canada not to fund what she calls a “life-changing” medication.

Joey Kerr loved being active.

“I did a lot of hiking. I did a lot of biking. I biked every day,” she told Global News.

But six years ago, the now 81-year-old’s life changed drastically.

Kerr was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome, or MDS, which is a rare blood disorder where bone marrow fails to produce healthy blood cells.

“I get nauseated, I get breathless, I get dizzy, everything gets weak because there’s no oxygen going through my body,” Kerr said.

She now relies on regular blood transfusions, with each one taking hours and leaving her drained.

Kerr is urging the province to fund a medication known as Luspatercept, sold as Reblozyl, which is approved by Health Canada to treat MDS and is shown to reduce how often patients need transfusions.

“I’ve heard of someone going 18 months,” Kerr said about the drug.

“That’s a year and a half. I’ve heard of someone going a year.”

However, according to the Medicines Access Coalition, B.C. is the only province in Canada that does not cover Reblozyl for MDS patients.

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“This is one of many instances where again and again we can’t get the BC NDP government to cover the cost of these drugs,” Ian Paton, the BC Conservative MLA for Delta South, said.

Paton said the drug can cost around $200,000 a year per patient.

A statement from the Ministry of Health said Luspatercept is not eligible for Pharmacare coverage for MDS and funding decisions must balance evidence and cost-effectiveness.

But for Kerr, she said she feels like the province is just letting her die.

“My age on paper is old, but I’m young at heart.”

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