Ontario Letter

YOUR ADDRESS HERE

TODAY'S DATE

The Honourable Dalton McGuinty, Premier
Legislative Building
Queen's Park
Toronto ON M7A 1A1

Subject: Oral chemotherapy drugs in Ontario

Dear Premier McGuinty,

I am writing you today to express my shock and disgust that many oral chemotherapy drugs are not covered through the Ontario Healthcare System - either through the Ontario Drug Benefit (ODP) for cancer, or through the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP). It was recently reported on CBC Radio's "Ontario Today" (air date Wednesday, February 18, 2009) that cancer patients who require oral chemotherapy drugs, dispensed by pharmacies, may have to pay for this cost themselves.

Although drug plans may cover part of the cost of these oral chemotherapy drugs, and emergency plans exist to help some folks without drug plans, this coverage will not help all individuals. How can we justify funding the equally exorbitant costs of surgeries and intravenous chemotherapies, but not the costs of many oral medical treatments?

Cancer patients in Ontario deserve the best. In Ontario, we have access to one of the best healthcare systems in the world, but it is shameful we don’t have access to one of the best public healthcare systems in the world.

Cancer patients need to be focused on their recovery, not on the financial burden their treatment creates for their family. I find it frustrating and appalling that if the cancer patient's recommended treatment was surgical or intravenous, it would be covered by OHIP; however, if it is a pill form, it is at the cancer patient's expense. This is unfair and not what we expected of our Ontario healthcare system.

It is time the government re-evaluate the coverage of oral chemotherapy drugs in Ontario.

Sincerely,

YOUR NAME HERE