Ontario is bucking the vitamin D trend and will no longer pay for testing to determine whether patients are lacking in the supplement that is hailed by some as a powerful cancer fighter.From fighting high blood pressure to protecting against colorectal cancer and boosting the body’s immune system, vitamin D has become the latest cure-all. But that claim is currently more fiction than fact, said Dr. Les Levin, an oncologist at Princess Margaret Hospital and a member of the Ontario government’s medical advisory secretariat - the group responsible for informing the health ministry on latest technologies.“There is a lot of misinterpretation out there concerning the link between vitamin D and non-bone related diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease,” Levin said in an interview.The popular press, word of mouth and a proliferation of unscientific evidence on the internet are largely to blame for the claim the vitamin can do many things, he said.“Requests for these tests are escalating rather deeply.”
“The medical evidence isn’t there to justify it.”The U.S. National Cancer Institute urges caution in believing the vitamin helps fight certain cancers, he said.Since 2004, vitamin D testing in the province has skyrocketed by 2,500 per cent or from 29,000 to 700,000 in 2009, according to the health ministry. As a result, costs to the province have ballooned from $1.7 million in 2004 to $66 million a year, said Health Minister Deb Matthews.Each test costs $51.70 to administer. “Is it about money? Well, we are looking closely about what we fund and making sure what we fund is based on evidence so we can actually spend more money on things that matter,” she said. Queen’s Park is following Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island and Saskatchewan which have all moved to limit unnecessary Vitamin D testing.Testing will still be available for those with medical conditions such as osteoporosis, rickets, renal disease, osteopenia and malabsorption syndromes. However, some believe the government is off-base in cancelling the funding.
Speaking from the clinic at the Canadian College of Naturopathic medicine, naturopathic doctor Hal Huff said the test should stay.“I think it is premature to cease funding,” Huff said from the clinic at Leslie St. and Sheppard Ave. East. “In my opinion this is one of the few good nutritional tests.”High risk groups such as the obese, adults over 50, those who avoid the sun and people with darker skin colour should be allowed free screening. “I wouldn’t suggest screening be restricted to conditions but groups at greater risk for vitamin D deficiency,” he said.Statistics Canada reports 1.1 million Canadians are vitamin D deficient.And evidence is still being examined on the vitamin’s role as a cancer protector, Huff added. “There is an emerging amount of evidence in a lot of diverse fields. The classic focus is on bone health but there is also a lot more research in non-classic areas.”Progressive Conservative MPP Christine Elliott (Whitby-Oshawa) said the Liberals are lacking a long-term health plan and just looking for “quick savings” so they are making ad hoc decisions.“
This may be counterproductive at the end of the day,” Elliott said. “But this is all politically motivated to show the public how they are going to save money – whether that is a good decision is never really considered.” But if the medical experts that advise the province say unnecessary testing should be curbed, Matthews said she will take their advice. Ontario is trying to find ways to curb runaway health costs – 46 per cent of the provincial budget is spent on healthcare. Not only will cutting vitamin D testing for anyone who asks save the province about $64 million a year Matthews said it will be one less thing for the province’s burdened medical laboratories to deal with.The health ministry has recently cut some bone mineral density and pre-operative testing for cataract surgery.Matthews also blames the media for an explosion in vitamin D testing.“People get their health care information from a number of different sources, some more reliable than others,” she told the Star.
“There’s been increased attention here so people are asking for the test and we currently have no guidelines on who should be funded for the test.”Vitamin D helps maintain normal levels of calcium in the blood. Too little vitamin D can cause calcium levels to drop, leading to calcium being pulled out of bones to stabilize the blood, according to Health Canada. Calcium is important for strong bones and teeth. There are few foods with high levels of natural vitamin D but sun exposure stimulates the body to produce it.At the popular vitamin store Supplements Plus at Yonge Street and Eglinton Avenue vitamin D flies off the shelves, said Gregory Bagattchouk.“People know it is good for osteoporosis and your immune system and for those prone to losing calcium like menopausal women,” he told the Star. “We sell many, many brands of vitamin D. Every day we sell at least 10 bottles of it. It is the number one vitamin seller right now, then vitamin C.”The vitamin is sold as a water soluble liquid, in emollition or in sunflower or olive oil, and in tablet form.
“We have it for kids, for adults and in different dosages,” he said and added everyone is taking it because of the “media and naturopathic doctors”.One of the best ways to get the calcium the body’s needs is to do what your mother told you, added Levin. “People between childhood and age 50 should drink two glasses of milk a day,” he said. The real issue here is not supplements but healthy eating and following recommendations set out in the Canadian Food Guide. “If we put our energy in that we’d do a much better job than wait for people’s levels to drop,” he said.Adults over age 50 should take a daily vitamin D supplement of 400 international units and follow the food guide, Health Canada said., each property of Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, One Yonge Street, 4th Floor, Toronto, ON, M5E 1E6. You can unsubscribe at any time. Please contact us or see our privacy policy for more information. Ontario Health Insurance Plan Beginning December 1, 2010, the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) will only cover the cost of vitamin D testing for patients with the following medical conditions:
Patients on medications that affect vitamin D metabolism For people without these conditions, the cost of a vitamin D test will no longer be covered by OHIP. People should speak to their health care provider to determine whether they require vitamin D testing, and if they would be eligible for an insured vitamin D test. Every individual’s health care needs are unique, so it is important to discuss your concerns about vitamin D testing and supplementation with your health care provider. Your health care provider is in the best position to give advice about healthy eating and how to properly supplement your diet to ensure you receive adequate amounts of vitamin D. The decision to only cover vitamin D testing for certain medical conditions was made after a review of the best available medical evidence by the Ontario Health Technology Advisory Committee. The evidence showed that vitamin D testing of healthy Ontarians is not appropriate or medically necessary.