Alzheimer's Drug Therapy Initiative - Information for Pharmacists

On October 22, 2007, the Government of British Columbia is launching the Alzheimer's Drug Therapy Initiative to gather information on the effectiveness of cholinesterase inhibitors for the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease.

The Alzheimer's Drug Therapy Initiative will provide individuals who are selected to participate with PharmaCare coverage of these drugs through the Special Authority process and use the information gathered to inform future government policy on the funding of drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Physicians are required to conduct patient assessments and apply for Special Authority approval prior to coverage being granted. Because of the expected demand, Special Authority approval may take up to two weeks to process.

Please advise your customers to check that Special Authority approval has been granted before filling their prescriptions. PharmaCare does not provide retroactive coverage of cholinesterase inhibitors.

For further information, please visit the Frequently Asked Questions for Pharmacists page.