Public drug programs provide drug coverage for a specific population. Federal, provincial and territorial governments offer many different drug programs, most of which have defined criteria for eligibility that include things like age, income, conditions or diseases, or drug costs.
This page gives you an overview of the programs available and their eligibility criteria. It helps you understand program differences so you can interpret data about drug use and spending, and make comparisons.
See the Formulary coverage page for details about the drugs included in each program’s formulary.
Note: An asterisk identifies programs that do not submit data to CIHI’s NPDUIS.
| Jurisdiction | Program group | Programs | Benefit information | Eligibility criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prince Edward Island | Long-term care | Nursing Home Drug Program | Eligible medications for individuals in a private nursing home |
Permanent residents in private nursing homes who qualify for financial assistance through the Social Assistance Program. |
| Prince Edward Island | High-cost/expensive drugs for rare diseases | Catastrophic Drug Program | Eligible prescription drugs for individuals whose drug costs make it difficult to pay for essential living expenses |
Residents with a valid P.E.I. health card who have up-to-date tax filings and are experiencing financial hardship due to drug expenses. |
| Prince Edward Island | High-cost/expensive drugs for rare diseases | Cystic Fibrosis Program* | Eligible prescription and non-prescription medication |
Residents with a valid P.E.I. health card who have been diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. |
| Prince Edward Island | High-cost/expensive drugs for rare diseases | Erythropoietin Program* | Anemia-treatment medications |
Residents with a valid P.E.I. health card who have been diagnosed with chronic renal failure or are receiving kidney dialysis. |
| Prince Edward Island | High-cost/expensive drugs for rare diseases | Growth Hormone Drug Program* | Eligible growth hormone supplements |
Children (those younger than age 18) with a diagnosis of growth hormone deficiency or Turner syndrome. |
| Prince Edward Island | High-cost/expensive drugs for rare diseases | High Cost Drug Program | Eligible medications for individuals who need assistance paying for medications |
Residents with a valid P.E.I. health card; eligibility is also based on factors such as household income and medical conditions. |
| Prince Edward Island | High-cost/expensive drugs for rare diseases | HIV Program* | Eligible HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) treatment medication |
Residents with a valid P.E.I. health card who test positive for HIV, or test negative but are at risk for HIV infection, or who have been exposed to HIV. |
| Prince Edward Island | High-cost/expensive drugs for rare diseases | Phenylketonuria (PKU) Supplement Program* | Eligible nutritional supplement for individuals diagnosed with phenylketonuria |
Residents with a valid P.E.I. health card who have been diagnosed with phenylketonuria. |
| Prince Edward Island | High-cost/expensive drugs for rare diseases | Transplant Anti-Rejection Drug Program* | Eligible prescription drugs for individuals who have received an organ or bone marrow transplant, including outpatient immunosuppressive drugs |
Residents with a valid P.E.I. health card who have had a solid organ transplant or bone marrow transplant. |
| Prince Edward Island | Children’s drug plans | Children in Care Drug Program | Prescription and non-prescription drugs for eligible children |
Children who are in the temporary or permanent custody of the director of child protection and are eligible for PEI Medicare coverage. |