A diabetes drug company is lobbying the Sask. government as Ottawa recommits to pharmacare

A sign for Eli Lilly & Co. appears outside their corporate headquarters in Indianapolis on April 26, 2017. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings, File)

This story is shared with permission from the Investigative Journalism Foundation (IJF), a non-profit newsroom focused on public interest journalism. The IJF maintains a number of public interest databases, including a registry of government lobbyists.

An international pharmaceutical company and a diabetes charity have registered to lobby the Saskatchewan government to expand coverage of medication and support for the chronic illness.

Last week, Eli Lilly — a major manufacturer — registered to lobby the province’s government to have its drugs publicly listed and reimbursed, and about “pan-Canadian pharmaceutical policy and pricing programs and initiatives; health system partnerships; pharmacare.”

The company creates drugs to address a range of issues, from cancer to arthritis and diabetes.

Under the national pharmacare program, certain diabetes and contraceptive drugs are covered by the federal government, including some of Eli Lilly’s insulin products.

During the federal election campaign, the Liberal Party promised to continue signing deals with provinces to implement the federal plan.

Before the election was called, Health Canada had negotiated deals with Prince Edward Island, Manitoba, Yukon and B.C. while Alberta and Quebec planned to opt out of the program.

Members of the governing Saskatchewan Party have been lukewarm to the legislation.

During the provincial election campaign in October — just a few days after the pharmacare bill got royal assent on Oct. 10 — Saskatchewan Party candidates said they would need more information before agreeing to sign a deal with Health Canada.

The province already has coverage for some medications, but other products like continuous glucose monitors that help people with diabetes monitor their blood sugar levels can cost thousands for those without insurance, though the province announced in April it would expand coverage for the devices to adults over 65 or young people between 18 and 25 years old.

On the same day Eli Lilly registered to lobby, so did Diabetes Canada.

The charity, which funds research into potential cures and supports diabetes prevention and management, said it was lobbying to advocate for “improved access to diabetes medications, devices, supplies and services for citizens of Saskatchewan living with diabetes.”

The charity was supportive when pharmacare passed last fall, saying it would help tens of thousands of people. But the group is pushing for more medications, devices and supplies to be covered under the proposed formulary of diabetes drugs.

According to Diabetes Canada, about 29 per cent of Saskatchewan’s population lives with diabetes or prediabetes.

Dale Hunter, a spokesperson for the Saskatchewan government, said a proposed national pharmacare program must be “supported by sufficient current and long-term funding from the federal government.”

He said the province has “been engaged with the federal government to better understand how the federal government’s proposal and funding commitment could enhance the scope of existing drug plan benefits,” and anticipates ongoing discussions with the federal government.

Diabetes Canada director of government affairs and advocacy Joan King said the province signing a pharmacare deal would expand access and reduce out-of-pocket costs for many people living with diabetes in the province.

King also urged the Saskatchewan government to remove age restrictions on coverage for continuous glucose monitors.

Eli Lilly didn’t respond before deadline.