Trikafta now available for cystic fibrosis patients in B.C.

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – The parents of children with cystic fibrosis now have access to an exciting new treatment option in B.C.

Trikafta is a triple-combination medication used in CF patients aged 12 and up. It has shown to slow the progression of the disease and improve lung function.

NEWS 1130’s Dean Recksiedler is the parent of a child with CF calls the drug a game-changer.

“As someone with CF grows older, it reduces their lung capacity, which basically means their ability to do anything takes away their quality of life,” he explained, adding the drug can add up to nine years to a patient’s life.

“It means people don’t need enzymes anymore. It means they can absorb the nutrients of their foods. It means so many things to anyone whose lives are touched by CF.”

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In his son’s lifetime, Recksiedler says science has evolved by leaps and bounds.

“When my son was born, we were handed a pamphlet that basically said the median age (of survival) is in the 30s. Now, it’s into the 50s. So, medications are coming so quickly and extending lives and making them more and more meaningful,” he said.

The drug was approved by Health Canada earlier this year. In most cases, Trikafta should be covered by the province through the B.C. Expensive Drugs for Rare Diseases process.

“To have something like Trikafta approved here in B.C., as it was recently in several other provinces, is just amazing,” Recksiedler said.

About one in every 3,600 children in Canada are born with cystic fibrosis, which is a genetic disease. Currently, about 500 people in B.C. are affected.

In addition to the lungs, CF also affects the patient’s pancreas, liver, kidneys, and intestines.

“We’re thrilled the province will provide access to Trikafta for hundreds of patients in B.C.,” said Christine Black with Cystic Fibrosis Canada BC. “Some patients with cystic fibrosis can’t take long walks or even laugh without coughing and trying to catch their breath. With the province’s actions, they’ll be able to enjoy activities many of us take for granted.”

The province says over the past two decades, the number of people who have CF has grown by nearly 30 per cent, which it attributes to advances in research and improved clinical care, leading to earlier diagnosis and increased life expectancy.

According to the province, the median age of survival for people with cystic fibrosis in Canada was, as of 2019, 57 years.