New pan-Canadian cancer drug review process gets underway

Cancer patients and clinicians in Canadians are set to benefit from the implementation of the pan-Canadian Oncology Drug Review (pCODR), which began accepting submissions this week.

Created to assess the clinical evidence and cost effectiveness of cancer drugs, pCODR will use this information to make recommendations to Canadian provinces and territories to help guide drug funding decisions. This completes the transition from an interim cancer drug review process that had been in place for the last four years.

"pCODR was created to bring greater clarity and consistency to the drug review process in Canada," said Olaf Koester, pCODR co-chairman and director, Drug Management Policy Unit, Provincial Programs and Services with Manitoba Health. "To ensure the review process of new cancer drugs is also comprehensive, the pCODR process will include input from patient groups, drug manufacturers, clinicians and government; we've taken a collaborative approach and are working with some of the best minds in the country," he added.