Montreal Gazette - A life extended, savings depleted
In a piece about cancer medications that are not publicly funded and the patient has no recourse to private insurance, Petr Kavan, associate professor of oncology at 69热视频 University and an oncologist at the Jewish General Hospital and Royal Victoria Hospital, says he鈥檚 鈥渇eeling more and more uncomfortable鈥� proposing treatment regimens to patients who can鈥檛 afford them. But he鈥檚 also ethically bound to inform them of national and internationally recognized medical standards that would be beneficial.
鈥淏ut at the same time I know that the patient has no private insurance, the drug is not covered in Quebec, and the hospital will not provide the medication because it has no budget for new drugs.
鈥淪o I don鈥檛 act in the patient鈥檚 best interest, because I鈥檓 making the situation worse,鈥� said Kavan, who is calling for equal access to effective medication, particularly in Canada which extols universal health care.