B.C.’s insulin supply can keep up with U.S. buyer demand: Health Minister
Posted July 3, 2019 1:50 pm.
Last Updated July 3, 2019 2:04 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VICTORIA (NEWS 1130) – There are some great deals to be had south of the border but that doesn’t usually include prescription medication.
Many forms of insulin are much cheaper in Canada, bringing Americans north where they can afford to buy what they need. B.C. hasn’t had the organized caravans of buyers that have made the news in Ontario, but the province’s Health Minister says there is a steady stream of people with diabetes coming to Canada to buy the drug.
Adrian Dix says our supply can keep up with that added demand.
“Ultimately we’ve seen this for a long time – we’ve seen people coming to Canada. This issue has been a significant issue.”
RELATED: Americans caravan to Canada to buy insulin
Dix knows the need well, as he has Type One diabetes himself. At a press conference on July 3, he said supply is always a concern but not a problem.
“[It’s] something that we monitor. The availability of drugs – that’s obviously significant.”
Megan Whitsell with Peace Health in Whatcom County says the savings of buying in Canada can be substantial.
“The cost is a pretty significant difference. It’s usually a fifth of the cost in Canada, if they were to pay cash price in the U.S.,” she says. “Some patients will just use it occasionally if they’ve hit what we call the ‘donut hole’ with their insurance plan or if their co-pay is too high, and others will use it all year long.”
Insulin is sold behind the counter in Canada. Prospective buyers only need a prescription from their American doctor to bring the medication back into the States.
