Coverage for Pancreatic Islet Transplant Antirejection Meds in NS

Blaine is a very compliant Type 1 Diabetic he tests his blood sugars every few hours and takes 6-10 needles everyday. He eats very healthy and is a non smoker. He does everything that a Type 1 should do. Regardless his disease has progressed to be classified as Type 1 "Brittle" diabetes. Which means his body doesn't give him the signals that it should when his blood sugars are extremely high or dangerously low.

The risks of this condition are continual damage to his vital organs, kidney failure, heart disease, blindness, amputations and the ever present risk of coma and or death.

His health rests with receiving a Pancreatic Islet Transplant in Edmonton, Alberta. His name is currently on the transplant list but cannot receive the transplant until we can secure coverage for the anti-rejection medications Cellcept, Tacrolimus and Valcite.

Despite the medications being covered in NB, ONT, BC and AB (confirmed to date), the NS Department of Health has refused to cover the medications. These medications are standard of care for other transplants covered by the province they were also covered for one of the two NS Pancreatic Islet Transplant patients.

We feel NS has set a precedent by covering these medications for the Islet transplant patient as well as for other transplants.

We are only asking the government of NS to provide consistent, non discriminatory health care by providing the coverage for these medications to the very few transplant patients that will require it.

This procedure will save the taxpayers of NS thousand of dollars in the long term.

As Nova Scotians, it is very important that we let the government know that we demand to have access to the best health care available. Please help us in getting as many signatures as possible.

This decision is currently sitting in the hands of the Premier of NS Darrell Dexter and his committee. Please help by also contacting their office directly at 1-888-247-0448 or email premier@gov.ns.ca

You can also contact the Minister of Health's office directly at 424-3377 or email them at healmin@gov.ns.ca

Lets be a proactive province!