The province announced Thursday in a news release that 154 new medications are being covered by the Pharmacare program.

"Manitoba regularly, and on a schedule, makes updates to our Pharmacare program . . . and it's essential to note, by adding these drugs, more brand names, [and] more generic drugs to the program, we save money for the province, we save money for Manitobans," says Cameron Friesen, Minister of Health, Seniors and Active Living.

"We are continuously working to add drugs to the Pharmacare program in a timely manner to ensure Manitobans have access to medications that offer important treatments for many different illnesses and treatments at a more affordable price," says Friesen.

One of the drugs being added to the coverage list is Tresiba, a long-acting insulin used to control high blood sugar, for the treatment of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.

Andrea Kwasnicki, regional director of Manitoba and Nunavut for Diabetes Canada, says "better access to effective medications, devices and supplies can help improve the management of diabetes and quality of care for Manitobans living with diabetes . . . It can also decrease the likelihood of future serious complications of the disease."

Friesen adds, patients can go to the pharmacy for these medications and do not need to go through the process of getting a physician's prescription, which can make a difference in people's everyday life.

The province is part of the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance (pCPA). "By working with other provinces we're getting better prices on drugs, we're increasing access to drug treatment options, and we're improving the consistency of that coverage criteria right across Canada," says Friesen.

He says, 120 of the 154 drugs are generic medications. "As soon as a generic is available, the beauty of our plan is at that moment, doctors must use the generic. A patient can always ask for the brand name drug but they pay the difference. That's what keeps costs down in the system."

Coverage for the new drugs is effective immediately.