Bausch Health Canada Announces UCERIS Listing In Five Provinces For Distal Ulcerative Colitis Treatment

Bausch Health, Canada Inc., a division of Bausch Health Companies Inc., revealed the initial public drug plan listings for UCERIS® (budesonide) aerosol foam, designated for adults suffering from mild to moderate distal ulcerative colitis. The treatment is now accessible via public drug plans in Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. This move follows an agreement with the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance, highlighting the treatment's potential in addressing ulcerative colitis, a chronic inflammatory condition impacting the colon.

UCERIS has been available by prescription across Canada since September 2023 and is also covered by the majority of private insurance drug plans in the country. It represents the sole glucocorticosteroid rectal foam authorized in Canada for inducing remission in adult patients with this specific form of ulcerative colitis. Clinical studies indicate a significant preference for the foam formulation over enemas, owing to its ease of application and better tolerability.

The availability of UCERIS through public drug plans has been lauded by medical professionals and patient advocacy groups. "We are pleased that public drug plans in Canada are starting to make the new ulcerative colitis treatment UCERIS available as a covered benefit," remarked Gail Attara, President and CEO of the Gastrointestinal Society. The listing of UCERIS is seen as a critical step towards improving treatment access for those battling this debilitating disease.