2005 - Quebec becomes first province to reimburse new treatment for Alzheimer Disease
MONTREAL, Oct. 5 /CNW Telbec/ - Effective today the province of Quebec will list EBIXA(R) (memantine) under exception status criteria on its Liste de médicaments (Drug Benefit) published by the Régie de l'assurance maladie du
Quebec (RAMQ). EBIXA was approved by Health Canada in December 2004 and is the first and only medication approved for moderate to severe stages of Alzheimer
Disease.
"We are encouraged that the Quebec government is concerned with the fate of people living with Alzheimer Disease and their families and is showing this
by making the appropriate medical treatments available such as medications", said Nathalie Ross, Executive Director, Federation of Quebec Alzheimer Societies. She insists as well on the "importance of the psychosocial aspects of this disease and on the need for quality support services to reduce the anxiety and to improve the quality of life of people living with Alzheimer Disease".
Almost one in four Quebecers have someone with Alzheimer Disease in their family(1) and statistics show that the burden of care most often falls on women - usually the wife or adult daughter of the person affected.(2)
"During the later stages of Alzheimer Disease daily functioning declines and behavioural disturbances worsen so the hardships experienced by caregivers become even more intense," said Dr. Serge Gauthier, Neurologist, McGill Centre
for Studies in Aging, Montreal. "Clinical studies have demonstrated that the effects of memantine on the behavioural symptoms of Alzheimer Disease, in particular on aggression and agitation, are impressive. Treating the patient
with memantine also impacts their caregiver by reducing the burden of care."
Canadian company focuses on central nervous system
Lundbeck Canada Inc. is a research-based pharmaceutical company, specializing in the development and marketing of medications used for the treatment of psychiatric and neurological disorders. In addition to EBIXA(R),
the company markets CIPRALEX(R) and CELEXA(R) for the treatment of depression, KEPPRA(R) for the treatment of epilepsy, and CLOPIXOL(R) and FLUANXOL(R) for
the treatment of schizophrenia. Lundbeck has products in development in the areas of depression, sleep disorders, Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia.
Lundbeck Canada Inc. has its head office in Montreal and employs over 140 people in Canada.
EBIXA(R) - is a registered trademark of Merz Pharma GmbH. Under licence to Lundbeck Canada Inc.
CIPRALEX(R), CELEXA(R), CLOPIXOL(R), FLUANXOL(R) - are registered trademarks of Lundbeck Canada Inc.
KEPPRA(R) - is a registered trademark of UCB SA. Distributed by Lundbeck Canada Inc.
Sources:
-------
1. Federation of Quebec Alzheimer Societies Web site,
www.alzheimerquebec.ca, accessed October 3, 2005
2. Ostbye T, Crosse E. Net economic costs of dementia in Canada. CMAJ
1994; 151 (10): 1457-64.
For further information: Rock Landriau/Dan Brennan, NATIONAL PharmaCom,
(514) 843-2345 / 843-2325
newswire.ca |
