A Sooke mother is wondering why one B.C. child with the same disease as her son has received government funding for a life-altering drug, but her son has not.
Last June, SookeB次元官网网址檚 Landen Alexa, 6, was diagnosed with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis , or SJIA, a disease that causes his body to attack itself, leaving him with crippling muscle and joint pain and with virtually no immune system.
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LandenB次元官网网址檚 current medicine is no longer working effectively, and the only option for treatment is Ilarus, a drug that costs $19,000 a month, and is not covered by B.C. Pharmacare.
Recently, 11-year-old Jaylene Prime, who has the same illness as Landen, became the first child with SJIA in B.C. to be granted reimbursement coverage for Ilarus, on an exceptional basis.
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B次元官网网址淚 am very happy for the Prime family. I donB次元官网网址檛 want any child to suffer the way I see Landen suffer, and I pray the drug brings Jaylene some relief,B次元官网网址� said Jillian Lanthier, LandenB次元官网网址檚 mother.
B次元官网网址淏ut I am saddened for Landen, and I guess at the end of the day I just hope that this helps pave the way for him to get approved too.B次元官网网址�
Approximately 10 children in B.C. have SJIA
Landen has applied three times to receive the same provincial funding for treatment, but all three requests have been denied.
The B.C. Health Ministry said arthritis coverage requests are reviewed by independent specialist rheumatologists on a case-by-case basis, who look at the details of each patientB次元官网网址檚 case. This includes, B次元官网网址渁ll appropriate treatment options available to the patient and what treatments have already been explored that Pharmacare provides coverage for,B次元官网网址� the ministry said in a statement.
Ministry officials would not speak to the details on how specific patients are chosen to receive coverage.
B次元官网网址淚 was told by the ministry that if they approved LandenB次元官网网址檚 case, other cases like his in the province would need to be approved too, and the money simply wasnB次元官网网址檛 there to do that,B次元官网网址� said Lanthier. B次元官网网址淭hat doesnB次元官网网址檛 make sense to me now.B次元官网网址�
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Lanthier said she plans to meet with LandenB次元官网网址檚 doctor soon, and will be sending in another request for government funding.
B次元官网网址淚 am praying for the best and am hopeful for a miracle. I am going to keep fighting for my son,B次元官网网址� said Lanthier.
editor@sookenewsmirror.com
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