Manitoba Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont announced his party’s plan to reinstate and expand the Life Saving Drugs Program.  He explained in April 2018 the PCs cancelled the Special Drugs Program which paid the total costs of necessary drugs for many Manitobans including insulin and cystic fibrosis.  As a result many faced increases in deductibles of hundreds of dollars a month for drugs they need to keep themselves alive.

Lamont says they will cover drugs for cystic fibrosis, cancer medications, diabetes drugs, reduced costs for test strips, CPAP breathing assistance machines and HIV medication.  As part of the program they will also remove the age restriction on insulin pumps for people with Type 1 diabetes.

Lamont says the investments would pay off by reducing health care costs elsewhere noting HIV medication can prevent further cases, CPAP machines can prevent cardiac arrest and better control of diabetes can prevent heart attacks, strokes, blindness and amputations.