Kalydeco now included in Nova Scotia Pharmacare program
Province won't release drug costs under deal with manufacturer
The Nova Scotia government has included a cystic fibrosis drug used to help manage a rare form of the disease in its provincial Pharmacare program, but how much the province will pay for the expensive medication isn't being released.
The province says it has come to an agreement with the manufacturer, Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc., but a health department spokesman said the cost won't be disclosed to the public.
“All of our agreements are confidential and details such as cost is proprietary information,” Tony Kiritsis said in an email to CBC News.
Kalydeco has been hailed as a breakthrough medication, but the company has typically charged $300,000 a year for the average patient.
Some patients were able to reach an agreement on their own with the drug maker, and receive the medication for free under the company's compassionate care program.
Kalydeco is now included on the list of covered drugs and is available to Pharmacare patients six or older who carry a specific gene related to cystic fibrosis. The rare cystic fibrosis mutation is called G551D.