An Ottawa woman鈥檚 death has intensified a conversation about whether provinces should be responsible for funding a costly hepatitis C medication.
Brenda Peever died on Nov. 4 after struggling with complications from hepatitis C. Now, her daughter, Jennifer, is speaking out about the family鈥檚 three-year fight to fund life-saving treatment.
Jennifer Peever says her family鈥檚 saga started when her mother contracted hepatitis C after receiving a tainted blood transfusion. Peever鈥檚 mother was later identified as a candidate for an effective -- but unaffordable -- drug.
After receiving this news, Peever began a petition online and fought to convince the government to fund her mother鈥檚 treatment. Today, she鈥檚 fighting to raise the money to pay for her mother鈥檚 burial.
鈥淭he story needs to be told. She died because of red tape,鈥� Peever told CTV Ottawa recently.
Hepatitis C is a blood-borne disease that affects the liver. According to the U.S.-based Centers for Disease Control, the virus often begins as an 鈥渁cute infection.鈥� But unlike hepatitis A, hepatitis C remains in some bodies even after the initial infection, causing chronic liver problems.
The Canadian Liver Foundation estimates 250,000 Canadians are infected with hepatitis C. An estimated 500 people a year die from liver failure.
Peever says that number could go down if the government would fund an anti-viral drug called Sovaldi.
Health Canada approved the drug in January, and the results have been impressive so far.
Dr. Curtis Cooper, an infectious disease specialist at the Ottawa Hospital, says that the drug has a 90- to 100-per-cent cure rate after only 12 weeks of treatment.
But the medication comes at a cost: more than $650 a pill.
At that rate, the three-month treatment works out to more than $55,000. Peever said her mother was quoted $84,000.
鈥淭he day she died was the day they told her she couldn鈥檛 have the medicine because she didn鈥檛 have any money,鈥� Peever said.
Last spring, the company behind the drug, Gilead, told 麻豆传媒 that the price of Sovaldi is fair. The company said in an email that Sovaldi鈥檚 cost evens out to the same price patients would pay for other medication and health-care visits.
鈥淲hile Sovaldi greatly enhances the standard of care, it was priced such that the total regimen cost is similar to prior standard-of-care regimens,鈥� the email said.
Quebec is currently the only Canadian province that funds the Sovaldi. Some private insurance providers also pay for the drug.
Donna Hess found out she was infected with hepatitis C after a career in nursing. Her private insurance paid for treatment, and she said the results were 鈥渟hocking.鈥�
鈥淚 had lived with it for many years, and so to find out -- and then have the drug available and be able to take it and get cured -- is to me quite a miracle,鈥� Hess told 麻豆传媒.
Hess said she believes people without private insurance should also have access to the drug.
Peever and the 66,000 people who signed her petition agree.
鈥淚 begged for help for my mom. I begged for it. I have 66,000 people that signed that petition but yet nobody listened,鈥� Peever said.
She said she isn鈥檛 asking the province to fund treatment for non-life-threatening cases of hepatitis C, but to provide life-saving medication to those dying from the disease. 鈥淢y mom was Stage 4. There is no stage after that. Why not give it to her? Why not?鈥�
Looking to the future, Peever said it is difficult to imagine what she will do now that her mother is gone. For now, she鈥檚 just trying to focus on
鈥淚 can鈥檛 even grieve. The fight is still going,鈥� Peever said. 鈥淢y mom was my heart. I know she鈥檚 going to give me the strength to pull through. I just don鈥檛 see it yet.鈥�
