Tomorrow Cant Wait

Canada’s Existing Approach

Timely Approvals

Many breakthrough cancer therapies have received timely approval by Canada’s regulatory agency and health technology agencies over the past ten years.

An Ecosystem of Innovation

Scientific advancements have significantly improved patient outcomes thanks to discoveries that target cancer at the cellular genetic level. Innovation in cancer care is well mobilized, with many new discoveries on the horizon.

226,445 Potential Life Years Gained

Thousands of Canadians have been able to access breakthrough cancer therapies, helping them experience new tomorrows. But there is a gap in access. If Canadians living with cancer had been able to access breakthrough cancer treatments in the last decade, the potential cumulative benefits would have been up to 226,445 life years gained (the additional number of years of life that a person lives from receiving treatment) and $5.9 billion in potential economic value across five tumour types.

Delivering the Promise of Tomorrow

Canada’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic has proven that our health care systems can work together effectively to find and implement solutions to big problems. Four strategies were identified as critical to improving timely access to breakthrough cancer treatments:

Adapt the Existing Health Technology Assessment (HTA) and Price Negotiation Pathways for Rapid Uptake of Breakthrough Therapies

By adapting the existing pathways, breakthrough therapies can be made available to patients while price negotiations are under way. Current pathways for regulatory approvals and reimbursements need to work in an aligned and timely manner.

Funding Reform

Canada needs to change the way that breakthrough therapies are funded to advance value-based care and risk sharing agreements. Many other countries around the world have risk-sharing models such as managed entry and outcome-based agreements to deal with the uncertainty associated with the long-term value of breakthrough therapies in achieving patient outcomes.

Diagnostic Testing Reform

Canada needs to create national strategies and standards that enable
and fund access to diagnostic services when breakthrough therapies
are approved. National standards and inter-provincial collaboration for diagnostics testing would establish consistent processes for technology appraisal and reimbursement that provinces and territories can adapt
and adopt.

Expand and Integrate Health Data Systems and Infrastructure

Canada requires improved health systems data so patient outcomes,
real-world evidence, and new funding models can be monitored. Better
and more timely data are needed to support long-term health system planning, evaluation, and implementation of risk-sharing models for new breakthrough treatments.