CHARLOTTETOWN—Prince Edward Island has added six new drugs to the provincial formulary.

People dealing with arthritis, diabetes, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), lung cancer, heart failure, and those receiving radiation therapy, will now have help in paying for prescription medications.

The promise to help provide better access to medications was made in the 2019-20 provincial budget at a cost of $750,000 a year.

Coverage will be provided for inhaled therapies for COPD as the result of updated treatment guidelines.

Lung cancer patients will now have access to the drug Keytruda, a life-saving drug which can cost them upward of $75,000 a year.

The Provincial Drugs and Therapeutics Committee — composed of health care professionals including physicians, pharmacists, nurse managers, and a member of the public — provides the recommendations for the addition of drugs to the drug formularies.