e-4824 (Health)

The Government of Canada recognizes the importance of improving access and affordability of cancer drugs including osimertinib, amivantamab, and lazertinib for all Canadians.

In Canada, the management of prescription drugs is a shared responsibility. The federal government, through Health Canada, is responsible for assessing the safety, efficacy and quality of drugs before authorizing them for sale. Provincial and territorial governments are responsible for the delivery of health care for their residents, including determining which drugs are reimbursed and under what conditions for their eligible populations. This applies to cancer and chemotherapy drugs, such as osimertinib, lazertinib and amviantamab.

To inform decisions on drug coverage, provincial public drug plans, with the exception of Quebec, use the reimbursement recommendations from Canada’s Drug Agency (CDA). CDA has a dedicated pan-Canadian Oncology Drug Review Committee (pCODR) for cancer-related drugs. Quebec relies on the reimbursement recommendations of the Institut national d’excellence en santé et en services sociaux (INESSS). Health Canada does not influence the reimbursement recommendations by these two agencies. After receiving a reimbursement recommendation, the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance (pCPA) negotiates the price of the drug on behalf of public drug plans.

Prior to listing a drug, each provincial or territorial public drug plan considers the reimbursement recommendation and the pCPA negotiation, among other factors, to determine inclusion for reimbursements. Other factors for consideration may include program mandate, jurisdictional priorities and budget impact and may vary between provinces. The list of drugs included in the Saskatchewan provincial drug plan is available online.

Osimertinib and amivantamab received market authorization from Health Canada in July 2016 and April 2022 respectively. Both drugs subsequently received reimbursement review recommendations from CDA. By 2023, pCPA negotiations for osimertinib were completed, while amivantamab’s negotiations were concluded without an agreement. As for Lazertinib, it has yet to be approved by Health Canada.

In addition, the federal government supports research and clinical trials for cancer through funding Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR). CIHR’s Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) aims to strengthen Canada’s cancer research footprint. The institute plays an important role in creating and maintaining a robust cancer research environment in Canada that attracts and sustains world-class researchers by providing leadership and collaborating to develop Canada's cancer research agenda. ICR supports research across all aspects of the cancer journey, from prevention, early detection, diagnosis, treatment and palliative care.

To further advance the clinical trial ecosystem in Canada, the Government of Canada announced over $120 million in investments in a new clinical trials consortium, training platforms, and research projects in January 2023. As part of Canada’s Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Clinical Trials Fund will be foundational in ensuring that Canadians are well served by a national clinical trials network that fosters all aspects of therapeutics development, from discovery through to delivery. With the pan-Canadian accelerating clinical trials consortium, several training platforms, and 22 projects ranging from gene therapy to cancer treatments to new vaccines, this initiative will fulfil the need for sustained clinical funding in Canada.

The federal government also collaborates with stakeholders on these issues. For instance, the Government provides funds and support to the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer (CPAC). CPAC’s pan-Canadian, collaborative approach is focused on the long-term objectives of ensuring a future where fewer people in this country develop cancer, more survive it, those living with the disease have a better quality of life, and everyone has equitable access to high-quality cancer care. 

We will continue our work with all stakeholders to improve access and affordability of drugs as well as other treatments for cancer patients.