Our PC government is taking bold action to connect patients to life-saving cancer treatments almost a full year sooner through the Funding Accelerated for Specific Treatments (FAST) program. This makes Ontario the first jurisdiction in Canada to fast-track access to breakthrough cancer drugs.
On average, Canadian patients wait nearly two years to access new publicly funded medicines, a full year longer than patients in other developed countries. That’s unacceptable. Through this historic new program, Ontario will cut that wait time in half, ensuring patients get access to the most promising new treatments when they need them most.
Each year, the FAST program will expedite access to seven to ten high-priority cancer drugs approved by Health Canada, saving lives and protecting Ontario’s health-care system. By initiating funding while lengthy national pricing negotiations are still underway, Ontario is putting patients first; delivering timely access to cutting-edge cancer care instead of making people wait.
This three-year pilot will be evaluated to strengthen the patient experience, ensure sustainability, and identify opportunities to expand the program even further. It’s another example of how Ontario’s PC government is leading the country, and the world, in modernizing cancer care.