The abolition of medical accessory fees has had an unexpected impact on access to treatment for allergy immunotherapy.
La Presse newspaper spoke with a Montreal woman whose clinic no longer offers treatment that decreases allergy symptoms because it could no longer charge accessory fees for the vaccines or to pay the nurse to administer the shots.
"It's very disappointing that the clinics can't offer that anymore but it's understandable," said Sophie Lahaie who owns SECALlergies which produces allergy bracelets for children.
"I really think we need more allergists for sure."
But with only 70 allergists currently working in the province, there's no way they can all offer the service to all patients.
Lahaie said the healthcare system should get its act together and help patients left in the lurch, adding these hiccups send a wrong message.
"That it's not really a disease and that these people don't count."