VICTORIA — British Columbia's auditor general says two key government programs aimed at curbing the death toll from the toxic-drug crisis were not"effectively implemented" by the province's health and mental health and addictions ministries.
Pickup's audit of safer supply found the ministries didn't make"significant progress" in tackling its"most challenging barriers," such as rural access to the program, health-care providers' hesitancy about prescribing the drugs and whether the drugs being offered were appropriate. "Many thousands of people in B.C. are grieving the losses of family and friends from the toxic-drug supply," Pickup said."The crisis is also an immense challenge for those working to provide care and support for people who use substances. My team and I have a deep sense of empathy for everyone who has been touched by this continuing tragedy."
Pickup says overdose prevention and supervised consumption services are critical to saving lives and connecting people to the supports they need, but cited municipal resistance, location and accessibility of the sites and human resources as roadblocks to effective provincewide implementation. The safer-supply program has generated criticism since its implementation, including from federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, who both claimed that drugs from the program were being diverted into the rest of Canada.
People on the program, the audit says, also face restrictions about getting the drugs because they have to visit a pharmacy each day, and those in rural areas may lack access to"services required to safely and reliably access prescribed safer supply."
We have summarized this news so that you can read it quickly. If you are interested in the news, you can read the full text here. Read more:
Health Health Latest News, Health Health Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
British Columbia Opens Access to Cutting Edge Blood Cancer TreatmentBritish Columbia is now offering Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell (CAR-T) therapy to patients battling advanced types of leukemia and lymphomas. The treatment involves genetically engineering a patient's white blood cells to fight cancer and infusing them back into the bloodstream. Previously only available through clinical trials or by traveling out of province, CAR-T therapy will now be offered to adults at Vancouver General Hospital and children at the BC Children's Hospital.
Source: TerraceStandard - 🏆 24. / 68 Read more »
British Columbia to Offer Immunotherapy Cancer TreatmentBritish Columbia is beginning to offer an immunotherapy cancer treatment in the province for some patients who haven’t had success with standard chemotherapy or radiation. Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell Therapy, commonly referred to as CAR-T, treats lymphoma and leukemia by collecting a patient’s white blood cells and genetically engineering them to recognize and kill cancer cells.
Source: CHEK_News - 🏆 59. / 55 Read more »
British Columbia Offers Immunotherapy Cancer TreatmentBritish Columbia is beginning to offer an immunotherapy cancer treatment in the province for some patients who haven't had success with standard chemotherapy or radiation. Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell Therapy, commonly referred to as CAR-T, treats lymphoma and leukemia by collecting a patient's white blood cells and genetically engineering them to recognize and kill cancer cells. Dr. Kim Chi, the chief medical officer for BC Cancer, says patients who needed the treatment would previously have to be sent outside the province or country. Provincial Health Minister Adrian Dix says $14.3 million in this year's budget means up to 20 adults and five children will be able to get treatment at Vancouver General Hospital or BC Children's Hospital starting this month. Chi says the therapy is an example of how far cancer treatments have evolved, driven by "cutting edge" research and technology
Source: timescolonist - 🏆 15. / 75 Read more »