Sisters Tammy and Shannon Spence have been battling an addiction to prescription pills for years.
They’ve both been taking another drug, methadone, to wean them off their addiction.
"You know they call it the methadone life, yeah it's good in the beginning, but it's not good for your body in the long run," said Shannon Spence.
They'd like to use another medication instead: suboxone. But they say it’s out of reach.
"I'm really trying to get on suboxone, but it's not covered," said Tammy Spence.
Suboxone now covered
Manitoba's health minister said suboxone will now be covered under Pharmacare, a program that pays for drugs, in cases where costs seriously impact someone’s income.
Like methadone, suboxone decreases cravings and withdrawal symptoms for opioids, including fentanyl – a drug responsible for hundreds of overdose deaths in Canada.
Health officials say suboxone is safer than other replacement therapies.
“A reduction in side effects, reduced interactions with other medications, reduced toxicity, lower risks of respiratory failure and overdose," said Dr. Ginette Poulin from the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba.
The province is also eliminating some red tape, making it easier for doctors to prescribe suboxone.
“Prior to that they had to have an exemption to prescribe suboxone, now they'll be able to do it more freely,” said Health Minister Kelvin Goertzen.
Road to recovery
The Spence sisters believe this will help them and others with their road to recovery.
"I think that's a better chance for me to get off everything," said Tammy Spence.
"That's what it's there for to get off pills and it's also an opioid blocker so of course I believe it will save lives," said Shannon Spence
The province estimates this will cost $150,000 a year.
