Ontario has become the first jurisdiction in Canada to fast-track access to breakthrough cancer drugs through a new initiative called the Funding Accelerated for Specific Treatments program.
The province says the three-year pilot will cut nearly a year off the wait time for patients to access new, publicly funded cancer treatments — connecting them to life-saving medicines faster than ever before.
“Fast access to treatment is critical,” said Deputy Premier and Health Minister Sylvia Jones. “This historic program is another way we’re leading the world in putting Ontario patients first.”
Currently, Canadians wait nearly two years on average for new publicly funded medicines, about a year longer than patients in other developed countries. The FAST program aims to accelerate access to seven to ten high-priority cancer drugs each year that are approved by Health Canada through Project Orbis, an international initiative that speeds up regulatory approvals for promising cancer therapies.
Unlike traditional funding models that delay access until national pricing negotiations are complete, FAST will begin public coverage while those talks continue.
The province says this approach is part of its Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care strategy, designed to expand access to critical and innovative treatments across Ontario.