I have done some more research into the group behind the recommendation that the provincial governments not fund Tsyrabi. Here are some important points:

1. The Canadian Expert Drug Advisory Committee is a panel of individuals within the Canadian Agency For Drugs and Technologies in Health

2. The CADTH is owned by and reports directly to the 13 provincial/territorial Deputy Ministers of Health and the Federal Deputy Minister of Health

3. The original objective of the Canadian Drug review is to provide the provinces/territories with equal access in both a timely manner and identical information

4. The provinces/territories do not have to follow the recommendations of the committee, however, they do follow the recommendations more than 90% of the time, creating more consistent coverage across Canada

5. The CDR looks at the clinical and cost effectiveness of a drug compared to alternate therapies, and reviews if the drug provides good value to the system and improves health outcomes.

Now, the points that I think are important may not necessarily be the points that you think are important, so be sure to check this out on your own. All of this information is taken from this website:

http://www.cadth.ca/index.php/en/cdr

Last night I was trying to understand why the recommendation would come out to not fund Tsyrabi. I could understand if it was a horse of a different colour, or even a horse of a different breed - but I don't believe that it's a horse at all!

There are five Health Canada Approved drug therapies for the treatment of Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis: 3 beta-interferons, 1 glatiramer, and 1 selective adhesion molecule inhibitor. Of the three interferons, there are two 1-a's and one 1-b.

Simply put, the interferons and the adhesion molecule inhibitor prevent inflammatory T-Cells from entering the central nervous system. While their purpose is similar, what they are made of (and from) and how they do their job is different. The glatiramer alters the make-up of the T-Cell, but still allows it to enter the CNS.

So they all work differently. The expected results of the interferons and the glatiramer is a 30%-35% reduction in the frequency of relapses and the severity of relapses. The expected results of the selective adhesion molecule inhibitor is greater than 50%.

***Ok, so I seem to be doing alot of rattling here...when in fact, if given the option, I am not sure if I would take the drug in question. I do, however, feel that should my neurologist and I decide that it is the best treatment for me, than I would hope that my provincial drug coverage would assist me in providing myself with what is best for my long term health and wellness. I would prefer to have their help now, so that I may not need it later.***

I'm not a doctor...I just play one in my own life,

Emily