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The Alberta government says it will save up to $46 million over the next three years by treating more cases of retinal disease with a cheaper drug that has not been approved for eye injections by Health Canada.

While critics warned that Avastin’s side effects and long-term health impacts have been insufficiently researched, Health Minister Sarah Hoffman insisted she had no concerns about the drug’s “off label” status.

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She and Edmonton retina specialist Dr. Matthew Tennant said some Alberta doctors have been using Avastin safely and effectively for close to a decade to slow the progress of age-related macular degeneration, and other conditions such as diabetic macular edema and retinal vein occlusion.

The drug has not been covered by the government, but that will change Thursday when the province launches a three-year pilot project. Patients in the program will be allowed to choose between Avastin and Lucentis, a drug that does have Health Canada approval but is also much more expensive at $1,575 a vial.