Ontario to fast-track access to breakthrough cancer drugs

Ontario’s health minister Sylvia Jones has announced a new pilot program to help cancer patients access cutting-edge treatment.

Ontario is the first jurisdiction in Canada to launch the Funding Accelerated for Specific Treatments (FAST) program to fast-track access to breakthrough cancer drugs almost a full year sooner, reducing delays and improving access to cutting-edge cancer care for years to come.

Dr. Kevin Smith President and CEO of the University Health Network says early access to cancer drugs is fundamental to comprehensive care alongside prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

A statement from the Ministry of Health says on average, Canadian patients wait nearly two years to access new publicly funded medicines – a full year longer than patients in other developed countries.

This three-year pilot program will expedite access to seven to ten high-priority cancer drugs every year that are approved by Health Canada through the Project Orbis pathway, an international initiative that fast-tracks regulatory approval for promising cancer therapies.