Canada has the highest rate of multiple sclerosis in the world, with an estimated 90,000 to 100,000 people living with the disease. Every day, 12 Canadians are diagnosed, most between ages 20 and 49, striking individuals during their most productive working and family-building years. “MS is the No. 1 cause of non-traumatic disability in those […]
Glioma, the most common malignant brain tumour in young adults under 50 is a devastating disease that often strikes people in their prime working years, said Samaneh Samami, senior medical science liaison at Servier, during Benefits Canada’s Drug Innovations Webinar: A spotlight on brain health. Diagnosis can turn a person’s life upside down, she noted, […]
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder, affecting up to nine per cent of children and five per cent of adults, said Marie-Hélène Dugal, manager of pharmacy benefit strategy at Medavie Blue Cross, during Benefits Canada’s 2024 Face to Face Drug Plan Management Forum. Diagnosis rates have increased among women and become more common […]
Women face unique health challenges throughout their lives — across most age groups, women experience higher rates of chronic diseases compared to men, said Neda Nasseri, pharmacist and product director of drug benefits at Desjardins Insurance, during a session supported by Pfizer Canada at Benefits Canada’s 2024 Face to Face Drug Plan Management Forum. Historically, […]
Private drug plans play a pivotal role in ensuring faster and broader access to medications for 27 million Canadians, said Joe Farago, executive director of private payers and investment at Innovative Medicines Canada, during Benefits Canada’s 2024 Face to Face Drug Plan Management Forum. The federal government’s new pharmacare plan is designed as a universal, […]
One of the keys to managed care is to reflect on past experiences, understand lessons learned and consider their implications for the future, said Bobby Currie, director of drug evaluation at Manulife, during a session at Benefits Canada’s 2024 Face to Face Drug Plan Management Forum. While traditional tools like caps, deductibles and co-insurance that employers […]
Hair — including eyelashes, eyebrows and body hair — protects the body from environmental factors such as temperature and also helps with how humans feel and sense things. In addition, people have a lot of their identity wrapped up in hair, said Dr. Kerri Purdy, a dermatologist, division head and associate professor at Dalhousie University […]
Many plan members with diabetes struggle with adherence to daily insulin injections and research has found the majority of patients wish they could achieve the same control over their condition with fewer injections, said Jacob Bonafiglia, medical science liaison with Novo Nordisk Canada Inc., during a panel discussion sponsored by Boehringer-Ingelheim Canada, Merck Canada Inc. […]
Obesity has long been misunderstood and stigmatized as a lifestyle condition instead of a complex disease, said Rami Halabi, a medical science liaison with Novo Nordisk, during a webinar hosted by Benefits Canada and sponsored by Novo Nordisk in November. The condition isn’t just a measure of size, but a progressive, relapsing chronic disease characterized […]
“We’re now in a very exciting time where we have treatments with previously unseen capacity to improve the control of type 2 diabetes and help our patients manage weight,” said Dr. Sue Pedersen, a specialist in endocrinology and metabolism from Calgary, during a webinar hosted by Benefits Canada and sponsored by Eli Lilly Canada in […]