I don’t understand. Levetiracetam tablet is covered by Ontario Drug Benefits Program via limited use code for seizure. When the liquid formulation wasn’t available before, pharmacies can follow a compounding recipe to prepare a liquid formulation so that pediatric patients have access to an easier method for administration.

Recently, a commercially available liquid formulation of levetiracetam has been approved in Canada.

While this news may be welcoming, it has actually created more barriers for access and drug coverage.

This liquid formulation is not currently covered by Ontario Drug Benefits Program. In Ontario, pharmacies are not allowed to engage in compounding and submit claims to ODB once a commercial product is made available.

As per the latest ODB reference manual, an extemporaneous preparation that is equivalent to a commercially manufactured product is not eligible for reimbursement.

Furthermore, Exceptional Access Program has indicated that funding of the liquid formulation of levecitiratam is not considered at this time, citing that it is pending a national review.

So in the meantime, are we telling the infant that we have no option for you!

OR are we telling the mother who may be struggling financially that we don’t have a way to help her to secure funding of this essential medication for her child.

There are some work-around solutions such as changing the dosage to the closest tablet strength or using a device called Dissolve N’Dose. At Aboutkidshealth.org, there is a nice write up on how to use this device.

I have a hard time to see this happening and not say something.

It’s hard enough to have an infant diagnosed with a seizure disorder. But our system is also not supportive to ensure the appropriate liquid formulation is available to these patients. They CANNOT swallow pills and it will be years before they can.

In the meantime, patients may either skip taking the medications (because there is no means to pay out-of-pocket for the medication) or to follow these work-around solutions.

I have a hard enough time giving my daughter antibiotic for 5 days. I can’t imaging other parents to deal with this everyday.

This is not rocket science. Levetiracetam is approved for the treatment of seizure disorder in children. If it is deemed to be needed for a patient who cannot swallow tablets, the liquid formulation should be automatically listed for coverage, without the need to wait for a national review.

For kids, liquid medicines are essential and there should be a different mechanism to review medications that they require. Our current drug review system is failing them.

Rant over.