A new study shows a double standard between the full coverage drug plans that politicians and bureaucrats enjoy and the partial coverage that is given to Canadians under public plans.

CARP, Canada's Association for the Fifty Plus, commissioned the study which compared prescription drug plans of elected and public officials to public drug plans in British Columbia and Ontario and those managed by the federal government for aboriginals, veterans and soldiers.

The study looked at 73 drugs, already approved by Health Canada, that have been submitted to Canada's intergovernmental Common Drug Review (CDR) as of Jan. 12, 2007. The CDR is the body that determines which new drugs should be reimbursable on federal and provincial drug plans in Canada, with the exception of Quebec.

Recommended drugs:

Of the 73 drugs, CDR recommended that 28 be covered by the public plans. (One of the drugs is not reimbursable due to the manufacturer's decision)

Of the remaining 27, only 15 are reimbursed under the Ontario Drug Benefit and British Columbia drug plans. However, politicians in both provinces and on the federal level are fully covered for all 27 drugs.

Soldiers are reimbursed for 10 of the recommended drugs and Aboriginals for 15.  Canadian veterans are reimbursed for all 27 drugs.

Drugs not recommended for coverage:

CDR listed 26 drugs that should not be approved for coverage under the provincial drug plans. (One of the drugs is not reimbursable due to the manufacturer's decision.)

Of the remaining 25 drugs, only one is reimbursed under the Ontario Drug Benefit Plan and only two under British Columbia drug plans. In both provinces and on the federal level, politicians are covered for all 25 drugs under their own plans.

All 25 are reimbursed for veterans but soldiers and Aboriginals are only reimbursed for three.

Drugs under review:

Of the remaining 17 drugs still under review by CDR and the two other drugs yet to be reviewed, none were reimbursed in either Ontario or B.C. public drug plans.

Yet, politicians in both provinces and on the federal level were covered for all 19 drugs.

None of the drugs are reimbursed for veterans, soldiers or Aboriginals.

For CARP, of particular concern are medicines not covered for seniors on public drug plans. Highlighted by the group are medicines for neuropathic pain, Alzheimer's disease, macular degeneration and diabetes -- all of which are not recommended for listing by the CDR.

"Ideally, we would like to have all drugs which are approved by Health Canada to be covered by provincial and federal drug plans," said Lillian Morgenthau, president of CARP.

"However, failing that, it is simply unacceptable that there isn't even full coverage of the 28 drugs recommended by the government's own Common Drug Review. We believe Canadians deserve better and are owed an answer."

With close to 400,000 members, CARP is Canada's most influential advocacy organization for the 50-plus.

The group has launched the 'No More Waiting Campaign' that calls on the federal and provincial governments to improve service in three primary areas:

• wait time guarantees
• immediate coverage under all provincial drug benefit programs for all drugs approved by health canada
• $2 billion to be earmarked by the federal government for a caregiver respite.