Key to Antiviral Names and Status

October 1997 Revision

Sunnybrook List - Sunnybrook manages this distribution to hospitals in Ontario and the drugs on it are available without cost to anyone for whom they are prescribed, regardless of income.

Limited Use Product - These drugs are listed in Section III of the Formulary (the main list of drugs) but have a Limited Use status. For 3TC and Saquinavir this means that an HIV registered physician must prescribe them and must fill out a Limited Use/Nutrition Products form. This form is given to the patient along with the prescription and the patient gives both to the pharmacist.

Facilitated Access List - This is Section 6 of the Formulary (# 35) and is comprised entirely of products used in the treatment of people with HIV/AIDS. An HIV Registered physician must prescribe them, in order to be covered by ODB, TDP. There is no form, nor letter, that the physician needs to provide to patients nor to the Drug Programs Branch of MOH. Many private insurance carriers will also cover these drugs. It is a fairly simple process for a doctor to become a registered HIV physician. None of the above drugs is on this list.

Section 8 - This is a letter that your doctor writes requesting Section 8 approval, to pay for a drug through ODB or TDP, which she prescribes for you. If you intend to submit a TDP claim for a Section 8 drug, the date of the Section 8 approval must be earlier than the date on which the prescription was approved. Your doctor will know how to do a Section 8, remind him if you are planning to submit a TDP claim, to include this information.

Expanded Access Program (EAP) or Compassionate Access (CA) – These mean free access to the drug, often in an experimental protocol. Drug companies offer these, primarily, before approval by Canada. Often one’s free supply is continued for a period of time once it is approved. Your doctor makes application for you.

For nevirapine call Bohringer-Ingelheim at 1-800-745-0855

For delavirdine call Pharmacia & Upjohn at 1-800-779-0070

ODB - Ontario Drug Benefits - To get these benefits you must qualify for FBA or be a senior. Neither ODB nor TDP pays for drugs that are experimental. They must be approved/released by Health Canada.

TDP - Trillium Drug Program - This is also an Ontario Ministry of Health program. It is an income-based program for which you apply annually (April 1 thru March 31). Its intention is to give financial assistance to people who are not eligible for FBA/ODB and who have high drug costs. Your pharmacist will have application/information packets. Use only the packets/applications with a purple stripe. TDP will no longer accept the applications form neither the green nor the orange striped kits.

The information on this sheet is subject to change at anytime and was accurate, on October 1997, to the extent of our knowledge. You are advised to check that the mechanism for payment, i.e., ODB, Facilitated Access, etc., is still valid. This may be as simple as asking your pharmacist or it may mean a call to ODB, TDP, etc.

Collected and printed by Hemophilia Ontario, AIDS Program. Contact Beth Walker by email or phone 416-972-0641.

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