Quebec provides coverage for the three available SMA treatments through their list of exceptional medications. Please see below for coverage details of each of the available SMA treatments. Please discuss your eligibility with your health-care provider.

SMA Treatments:

Evrysdi (generic name: risdiplam)

Coverage criteria can be found here by downloading the PDF and searching for ‘Risdiplam’ in the document. For convenience, full coverage criteria is posted below.

 

Full coverage criteria

 

For treatment of 5q spinal muscular atrophy confirmed by a genetic test showing a biallelic mutation or deletion of the SMN1 gene.

Upon initiation of treatment, the person must:

• be aged 2 months and older;

and

• show two, three or four copies of the SMN2 gene;

and

• show symptoms of the disease;

and

• do not depend on permanent ventilation. Permanent ventilation is defined by the use of respiratory

assistance (invasive or non-invasive) for 16 hours or more per day, during more than 21 consecutive days, except where it is related to a reversible acute episode;

and

• have discontinued treatment with nusinersen, if applicable;

and

• not have been treated with onasemnogene abeparvovec.

 

Authorizations are given for a maximum dose of 5 mg per day. The maximum duration of each authorization is 12 months.

 

Persons treated with risdiplam cannot be treated with nusinersen afterwards.

When requesting continuation of treatment, the physician must provide information making it possible to establish the absence of significant deterioration of the motor functions, namely:

• the absence of permanent ventilation;

and

• the absence of exclusive nasogastric or gastrostomy feeding;

and

• a stabilization or improvement of the medical condition.

Spinraza (generic name: nusinersen)

Zolgensma (generic name: onasemnogene abeparvovec)

 

 

 

The information on this page was last updated in May 2024.