We’ve all seen the harms that come with ineffectual management of how insulin and glucose monitoring reach those who need it. We saw what happens when people had to pay out of pocket for CGMs and how it took years of advocacy to change that landscape. We saw what happens when Insured Health unilaterally switched prescribed insulin for biosimilars without patient input or knowledge. The harms that come when patients aren’t at the helm have real effects.
The Yukon T1D Support Network is most invested in changing the landscape of how Yukoners living with Type 1 diabetes access their essential prescriptions. This means changing the legislation to one in which the authorities granted within the Act can only operate under their authority when patients are adequately consulted. The Chronic Disease and Disability Benefits Regulation must be changed to be more patient-centered.
It also means that we hold government’s feet to the fire when we believe that they are acting unlawfully. What do we mean by this? We mean that persons within Insured Health may be granted authority that is outside of the authority provided through regulations. For example, we interpret the Chronic Disease and Disability Regulation as subject only to the Health Act, meaning there are specific powers described in the Regulation which are narrowly and discretely defined and are not provided the same powers under the Health Care Insurance Plan Act. Thus, we interpret the ‘2014 Pump Policy’ that defines certain eligibility to access a pump as unlawful, as it pre-determine outcomes in absence of the provisions listed within the Regulation. In essence, we believe that Insured Health does not always operate under the regulations that they are required to operate. We want to see this changed.
We also believe that on occasion, current regulations provide authority in a manner that is unethical. A recent example of this is in Yukon Government’s memo to pharmacies advising them of a mandatory switch to biosimilar insulins. Lack of consultation with patients, absence of evidence-informed recommendation by Canada’s Drug Agency, and the unilateral enforcement of a switch in absence of patient knowledge is antithetical to patient-centered care. No person living with Type 1 diabetes should find out that they no longer have access to their prescribed insulin when they go to the pharmacy to pick up their insulin. The confusion and anxiety this creates is uncalled for. Patients must not be kept in the dark about imminent changes to their insulins.