News Features

The B.C. government's recent decision to approve two diabetes drugs is a mistake, according to a University of Victoria drug-policy researcher.

According to a November 9 news release from the Ministry of Health, more than 5,000 patients may now receive coverage for Avandia and Actos at an annual cost to B.C. taxpayers of up to $4 million. The statement said that the drugs will benefit some patients whose diabetes is "not effectively managed" by other oral treatments.

But researcher Alan Cassels, who has been watching the B.C. government make drug decisions for more than 10 years, asks why PharmaCare is paying for the drugs, which have already received approval from Health Canada.

"The approval of these drugs is possibly the stupidest thing I have ever heard of," Cassels said in a written commentary provided to the Georgia Straight. Cassels said that approving the drugs will be good for doctors' salaries, due to increased visits. Laboratory-testing companies will also gain.

"Did this $5 million decision really factor in all the costs such as the additional liver function tests, treatment for congestive heart failure, complications due to weight gain, and so on?" Cassels asked. "Is this further proof that B.C. is open for business, or is this just a slightly cynical way that the B.C. Liberals are paying back the incredibly helpful support they received from pharmaceutical company campaign donations in the last election?"

According to B.C. Liberal party financial statements filed with Elections BC, neither GlaxoSmithKline nor Eli Lilly donated to the party during this year's election campaign. However, the industry's lobby group, Canada's Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies, gave the Liberals a total of $4,190 in April and May of 2005. Eli Lilly and GlaxoSmithKline both belong to the lobby group, whose donations to the party since 2001 total $32,142.

GlaxoSmithKline also gave $4,150 to the Liberals in 2002. Eli Lilly has donated a total of $5,300 since 2002. Neither manufacturer-nor the CRPC-gave to the NDP.

The release also said that the drugs "are not suitable for all patients", and added that they will not be given to patients with "poor cardiac status" or those currently taking insulin.

Cassels is the coauthor (with Ray Moynihan) of the recently published Selling Sickness: How the World's Biggest Pharmaceutical Companies are Turning Us All Into Patients.

Avandia, the trade name of rosiglitazone, is made by GlaxoSmithKline. Actos, the trade name of pioglitazone, is made by Eli Lilly.

Cassels claimed that side effects experienced by some patients should have stopped the government from approving the drugs. Avandia may cause fluid retention or swelling that "could lead to or worsen heart failure", according to GlaxoSmithKline's Web site,

As well, the drug "may increase your chances of becoming pregnant", and patients should tell their doctor if they are breastfeeding, have liver problems, or are pregnant or trying to become pregnant.

However, Carol Carman, the communications director for the Ministry for Health, told the Georgia Straight on November 29 that the approval process for new drugs is extremely demanding.

She said that the two drugs were approved only after a multistage process and will have only "special authority" coverage-meaning that they are prescribed by physicians only after a "particularly rigorous sign-off".

"This would be a pretty hard thing for a pharmaceutical industry to gerrymander," Carman said.