Trial for controversial doctor Huerto comes to close

From the Saskatoon Star Phoenix:
Seven years after investigators with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan started gathering evidence against controversial Saskatoon Dr. Carlos Huerto, lawyers for the Crown and defence made their final statements in his criminal fraud trial Thursday.

The very fact that prescription drugs labelled with the names of more than 400 of his patients were seized from Huerto's home in June 2001 is enough to prove him guilty of defrauding Health Canada and Saskatchewan Health, which paid for the drugs with taxpayer funds, Crown prosecutor Brent Klause argued in an 83-page written brief obtained by The StarPhoenix.

"Huerto gained access to an unlimited amount of free medical supplies by taking advantage of the trusting nature of his patients, his pharmacy and his own staff," Klause wrote.

"The method in which Huerto defeated the system and obtained these prescriptions was dishonest and deprived Health Canada and Saskatchewan Health of the funds they are entrusted to distribute on behalf of their clients." ...more

Regina business changing owners after 55 years

From the Regina Leader Post:
After 55 years of ownership by the Ast family, Hill Avenue Drugs has been sold.

But don't mention retirement to Dean Ast.

"Please do not say that I'm retiring," said the 46-year-old pharmacist with a laugh. "It was time for a change but I'm not retiring. Obviously pharmacy and health care are still interests."

Andrew Gilbertson became the store's new owner on April 1 but he's not a new face behind the dispensary. The pharmacist has worked with Ast for almost four years.

"We had talked about a buyout and some time last year it felt right to sell," Ast said. ...more

Pharmacists attempt to raise drug literacy levels

From the Regina Leader Post:
Saskatchewan pharmacists are doing their part to help residents who have low health literacy skills understand what medications they are on and when and how they should be taking those drugs.

A new study by the Canadian Public Health Association concluded many Canadians don't have the literacy skills needed to respond to daily health information demands.

"We've recognized this as an issue for many years now and have tried to do our very best to educate our clients and patients about the medications that they are taking and their conditions,'' said pharmacist Chris Perentes, who owns and operates Lorne Drugs in Regina.

"From time to time, even in our retail practices, we see that sort of thing happening where a pharmacist or somebody on discharge at the hospital assumes that the patient knows or should know what they are doing but the person doesn't. You should never assume that. ...more

Funding for liver cancer treatment to depend on evaluation

From the Regina Leader Post:
Health Canada approved a drug to treat liver cancer on Monday, but funding Nexavar could be a tough economic pill for the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency to swallow.

Nexavar was approved by Health Canada after a worldwide trial involving 602 patients demonstrated that the average survival rate for Nexavar-treated patients was 10.7 months compared to 7.9 months for those taking a placebo.

Before the cancer agency decides about funding Nexavar it will wait for an evaluation of the drug's benefit and cost from the Joint Oncology Drug Review (JODR), a process underway in all provinces except Quebec, said Kathy Gesy, the agency's provincial leader of oncology pharmacy services.

If the JODR gives Nexavar its stamp of approval, then the agency must determine where the drug fits in its queue of many unfunded drugs. ...more

Drug approval strategy needed

From the Saskatoon Star Phoenix:
There should be no surprise at the fact that Premier Brad Wall has apparently decided to cover the cancer drug Avastin under the provincial drug plan.

After all, in Opposition the Saskatchewan Party went to great lengths to portray the former NDP administration as a heartless bunch of penny-pinchers for refusing to do it.

The Saskatchewan Party can hardly do otherwise than to follow through and cover Avastin now that it's in government.

Health Minister Don McMorris's confirmation that a final decision will be announced this month brings the new government full circle on the "patient-a-day" political strategy his party pursued in Opposition. ...more

Pharmacists happy NDP drug plan dead

From the Saskatoon Star Phoenix:
A day after the provincial election, the Pharmacists Association of Saskatchewan is relieved it won't have the headache of dealing with the NDP's proposed universal drug plan.

"We're much relieved that the planned $15 co-pay that Lorne Calvert came out with will not be going forward," said Brett Filson, executive director of PAS. "(Saskatchewan Party Leader) Brad Wall made that clear early on in the election campaign."

Any major changes to the drug plan cause problems for pharmacists, he said.

"Pharmacists have to explain the changes to every patient every time, month after month," Filson said. "We try and instil that reminder to the government every opportunity we get: 'Do anything you want, but remember who has to explain it.' " ...more

New Zealand example touted at hearing on universal drug plan

From the Saskatoon Star Phoenix:
The campaign for a national drug plan arrived in Saskatoon smack in the middle of a provincial election where drug coverage is an issue.

"It is a coincidence that we are here during an election campaign," said Michael McBane of the Canadian Health Coalition in Saskatoon on Thursday.

The Saskatoon stop is the first of 13 in a cross-Canada tour designed to gather personal stories from people about their struggles to pay for prescription drugs. Planning for the hearings began last January, said McBane.

And while those making presentations on Thursday were reminded to not use the hearing for partisan purposes, NDP Premier Lorne Calvert was one of about a dozen presenters. ...more

NDP drug plan will lead way for rest of Canada: Calvert

It sounds like prescription drug coverage will be a big issue in the upcoming Saskatchewan election. I don't know how a universal $15 copay could possibly be sustainable over the long term. Perhaps the only way is to greatly restrict the list of eligible drugs. Of course, this begs the question, if you have a great copay but your drug isn't covered, what good is your plan? I'd rather see a percentage instead of a flat copay. This creates a bit of price awareness and creates an incentive for the patient to at least be thinking about cost.

From the Saskatoon Star Phoenix:
NDP Leader Lorne Calvert threw down the gauntlet over his party's promise of a universal drug plan Tuesday, casting the Nov. 7 election as a fight over fundamental principles.

Responding to what he said was "not unexpected" criticism that has been levelled since the plan was unveiled on the first day of the campaign, Calvert framed the debate as a rerun of the battle over the introduction of medicare by the CCF governments of Tommy Douglas and Woodrow Lloyd in the 1960s.

"Each time we've tried to extend universal benefits through medicare there's been criticism. It tends to come from the same source every time. It's coming from the right wing, it's coming from the Sask. Party. That's not surprising. This is not a single issue campaign but obviously this is one of our key visions for the future of Saskatchewan and if, I may say, for the future of Canada," Calvert told reporters after a rally at his campaign headquarters.

The NDP government introduced a seniors' prescription drug plan in this spring's budget at an annual cost of $53 million. Making that program universal and capping prices at $15 per prescription for all Saskatchewan residents will cost the government $150 million at the start, growing to $205 million by 2011-12. ...more

Dilaudid abuse rampant in P.A.

From the Saskatoon Star Phoenix:
Dilaudid -- a powerful painkilling opiate -- continues to ravage the streets of Prince Albert.

Though local health workers are taking some measures to stop users from destroying their lives by abusing the prescription drug, current tactics fall short of getting Dilaudid off of the streets and out of the addicts' arms.

"We still have a Dilaudid problem," said Cheryl Lucas, a methadone case co-ordinator who works with addicts hooked on the drug.

At one point, up to three-quarters of the province's Dilaudid prescriptions were being doled out in the city. ...more

Methadone mixup upsets Sask. pharmacists

From CBC News:
Confusion about how Saskatchewan pharmacists get paid for a federal methadone program was largely Health Canada's fault, an official with the department says.

Some Saskatchewan pharmacists were upset after getting a June newsletter from Health Canada's Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) program that said, effectively, some of them could expect less money from now on.

Specifically, it told them that for each of their methadone clients, who typically receive a dose every day, they could bill for only one prescription a week, with the pharmacist's fee capped at $36.17. Methadone is a drug used to wean addicts off heroin. ...more

Coverage changes

From the Regina Leader Post:
An advocacy association that represents Saskatchewan pharmacists believes that federal changes to methadone coverage short-changes its members.

Brett Filson, executive director of the Pharmacists' Association of Saskatchewan (PAS), said Canadian pharmacists weren't warned that the definition of a prescription changed until they got a newsletter in mid-June from the Non-Insured Health Benefits Program of the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (NIHB).

Filson said he contacted NIHB last summer to ask questions about methadone coverage after a Saskatchewan pharmacy was audited and at that time, he was told that three different strengths of methadone constituted three different prescriptions and could be billed accordingly.

"When a patient is starting on it they'll have a strength for a few days and then the strength will be adjusted for a few days and then another strength adjustment will be made and the doctor will write that on the prescription," Filson explained. "Usually it's a run of about three days at each different strength as the patient is being brought on to the methadone." ...more

Premier backs deal giving health professionals money to stay in Saskatchewan

From CBC News:
Saskatchewan's premier is backing a tentative contract agreement that gives experienced health professionals more money to stay in the province.

Premier Lorne Calvert says the demand for health professionals is high across Canada and that retention money will help keep senior workers in the province's health system. Calvert says the workers, who include paramedics and hospital pharmacists, are sought after by other jurisdictions.

The tentative agreement, reached overnight, gives a 2.5 per cent retention adjustment for health professionals with more than five years of experience. ...more

Health workers, employer taking 2-day break after weekend talks go nowhere

From Canada East:
Striking Saskatchewan health workers and their employer are taking a break in talks.

The union representing the 2,700 workers and the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations met with a conciliator on the weekend. But officials emerged Sunday to say they will restart talks in Regina on Tuesday.

Twenty-eight members have been on strike since July 2, and the union has promised that no more will go off the job while talks are underway. ...more

Sask. health workers begin strike action

From the Globe and Mail:
More than two dozen health professionals across Saskatchewan went on strike Tuesday, but an agreement has been reached to keep job action from escalating.

The respiratory therapists, hospital pharmacists and others walked out in six health regions, including Regina, Saskatoon and Prince Albert.

Chris Driol, president of the Health Sciences Association of Saskatchewan, said the union chose to pull only 27 of its 2,700 members off the job as a sign of good faith.

“We also demonstrate it as a signal to the employer to make us a better offer and resolve this situation,” Mr. Driol said at a news conference in Saskatoon. ...more

‘Miracle’ needed to avoiding Saskatchewan health strike

From the Saskatoon Star Phoenix:
It would take “a miracle,” to avoid a strike by 2,700 health workers across Saskatchewan Tuesday, according to their union.

Bargaining officials from the union and the province’s health regions failed to meet, let alone reach an agreement, over the Canada Day long weekend.

Chris Driol, president of the Health Sciences Association of Saskatchewan, said Monday afternoon that “unless a miracle happens in the next 15 hours,” at least some professionals will walk off the job this morning.

It’s feared a walkout could cripple Saskatchewan’s health system, halting all non-emergency surgeries and impacting the dispensing of drugs in hospitals and long-term care homes. ...more

Sask. health workers prepared to walk off job

From CTV News:
Health professionals in Saskatchewan are staying on the job for now, but their union warns that a walkout will be inevitable Tuesday unless a deal is reached.

Union officials met today in Saskatoon to decide what action to take after contract talks broke down. Chris Driol of the Health Sciences Association of Saskatchewan says the 2,700 members will work through the holiday weekend in case there are any emergencies. ...more

Union for Sask health workers says job action coming after talks break down

From Canoe.ca:
Talks to avert a strike by health-care professionals in Saskatchewan broke off Thursday, but the rhetoric was heating up as union officials said they have no choice but to start job action.

The negotiations after a conciliator said the health organizations and the Health Sciences Association were too far apart to reach a deal. "At this time it seems that there's no further point in the two parties meeting," said association president Chris Driol.

"We really have no choice at this point but to engage in job action because our best efforts at the negotiating table haven't got us where we need to go."

One of the biggest sticking points was over money aimed at enticing experienced workers to stay in the province and not flee to other jurisdictions for more cash.

The union is looking for eight per cent over two years and it wants an additional four per cent retention money for senior staff.

The Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations has offered 12 per cent over three years, with an additional half per cent retention adjustment for all workers in the first year. ...more

BioVenture winner lands cash

From the Saskatoon Star Phoenix:
Steve Mamchur knows he has a great idea. But instead of developing it in one of Canada's big cities, he's determined to make his business plan come to life to build the bio-economy in Saskatchewan.

The pharmacist and current law student at the University of Saskatchewan has created a technique that uses hormone concentrates from natural plant sources in bio-identical hormone replacement therapy, a natural alternative to pharmaceutical-based hormone replacement.

Mamchur has also developed a less expensive and safer way of mixing the hormone concentrate with a topical cream in pharmacies, an invention that will allow the number of Canadian pharmacies able to mix these creams to grow from 400 to 7,500. He wants to base his company in his home province. ...more

Sask. health-care workers announce strike mandate

It sounds like hospital pharmacists in Saskatchewan may soon be on strike.

From CBC News:
The union for 2,700 health-care professionals in Saskatchewan has been given a strike mandate by its members.

The Health Sciences Association of Saskatchewan says money, recruitment and retention are the main issues.

"This has been an extremely discouraging round of provincial negotiations," said union president Chris Driol. "Until we decided to talk to our members about a strike vote the employer flatly refused to discuss our issues." ...more