“Being able to provide respect and dignity for individuals in the final stages of life is something this government identified as a priority at the beginning of our mandate,” said Premier Robert Ghiz. “That’s why I’m pleased to announce that, starting today, the province of PEI will be covering the cost of the medications that qualified patients need to keep them comfortable and symptom free, in the place of their choice, during the last days of their lives.”

For most, planning and providing financially for palliative care is something that we would prefer not to think about, but unfortunately, in many cases, this is a reality that cannot be avoided. The goal of this program is to make that stressful situation a bit easier by providing the drug coverage and care to make it possible for palliative patients to receive more of their health care at home, avoiding more expensive and uncomfortable hospital stays.

“This program is about giving people choices,” said Health Minister, Doug Currie. “Until now, many people did not have any choice. If they required drugs to remain comfortable, they had go to a hospital or other health care facility to have the province cover the cost of those medications. This new program provides coverage for the drugs individuals need to allow them to receive treatment for pain and other symptoms in the comfort of their home. Giving individuals the choice to remain at home will help strengthen communities and reduce the emotional and financial burden on families.”

The Palliative Home Care Drug Program is an extension of the Integrated Palliative Care Program, which aims to enhance client and family options for palliative care through access to trained, qualified health care teams in the most appropriate setting.

Eligibility for the program is based on a number of criteria that define the patient’s need for end-of-life care. Staff who are trained in palliative care work closely with family and care givers to ensure the patient is a good fit for the program. Once it is determined that a patient qualifies for the program, and is registered with the Provincial Pharmacy, clients are able to obtain palliative specific medications from their own local pharmacist. As part of the program, patients are required to pay a small co-payment of two dollars per prescription.