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July 2009
Effective June 23, 2009, the Ontario Drug Benefit (ODB) Formulary has
announced that the Ontario government is listing FOSAVANCE® 70mg/5600IU once-weekly dosage as a General
Benefit. Reimbursement will be similar to generic alendronate. FOSAVANCE® 70mg/5600IU, manufactured by Merck
Frosst, was approved in Canada in August 2008 and is indicated for the treatment of osteoporosis in
postmenopausal women and osteoporosis in men.
"This listing by the Ontario government is good news for those
individuals with osteoporosis since it will help decrease their risk of fracture and supports physicians in
controlling osteoporosis," said Dr. J. D. Adachi, Professor at the Department of Medicine, St. Joseph's
Healthcare, McMaster University. "Osteoporosis may significantly affect life expectancy and quality of life
due to the fragility fractures. With this decision, osteoporosis patients living in Ontario now have better
access to alendronate sodium/cholecalciferol in order to maintain bone mineral density (BMD) and prevent
fracture."
FOSAVANCE® 70mg/5600IU is also listed on the Liste des medicaments du
Québec, the Quebec public drug plan, and many private drug plans across Canada.
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