Cancer charities call for public funding of approved lung cancer drugs in Canada

On behalf of patients living with lung cancer, the Canadian Cancer Survivor Network (CCSN) and Lung Cancer Canada (LCC) are calling on government and industry to help accelerate negotiations for public funding of Health Canada-approved medications to ensure access for Canadian patients who urgently need them.

There are several new targeted and immunotherapy treatments for lung cancer currently under review by the pan-Canadian Oncology Review (pCODR) or awaiting negotiations with the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance (pCPA). These include Tagrisso (osimertinib), Keytruda(pembrolizumab), Tafinlar(dabrafenib) + Mekinist (trametinib) and Zykadia (ceritinib). These medicines can slow disease progression, prolong life and give patients more time with their families.

Lung cancer patients are in desperate need for these treatments. 90% of lung cancer patients have a form called non-small cell lung cancer; of those fewer than 17% will live more than five years with the current treatment options.1