What we’re doing
Current influence and advocacy work
Access to Treatment
Men with prostate cancer need equal access to the effective treatments, regardless of what province they live in. That’s not always the case today. We will change that with the help of men, families and clinicians who provide their personal and professional experience to enhance drug review processes.
Key areas:
- Ensure all provincial health plans fund life-saving drugs and treatments
- Ensure men in every province have the same access to these drugs
Here’s how we make a difference - together:
Fighting for access to drugs
After consultations, Health Canada approved ERLEADA (Apalutamide) an oral treatment for men with non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. This was a crucial step in offering men with this type of advanced cancer a treatment option for the first time, and in changing their outcomes.
How did Prostate Cancer Canada help?
We made sure patient and clinician voices, experiences and opinions were heard throughout the decision-making process
Lobbying for PSA test funding in British Columbia and Ontario
The PSA test cost is covered by the government for asymptomatic men everywhere in Canada except British Columbia and Ontario when ordered by a doctor. This needs to change. All men need access to this vital test, which is the first step to early diagnosis. The out-of-pocket cost is a barrier for many families. This means the men may not be accessing potentially life-saving information about their health.
When prostate cancer is caught early, survival is close to 100%. We call on the governments of British Columbia and Ontario to remove this barrier to early diagnosis. We are continuing to work with these provinces to ensure fair and equal coverage for this important test.
Supporting the cause is as easy as a few clicks. If you live in Ontario, take 30 seconds and
send an email to your local member of provincial parliament (MPP) explaining that no one should lose a father, brother, husband, or friend over an affordable blood test.
Do you live in British Columbia or Ontario and want to get involved in advocating for PSA test coverage? Email
advocacy@prostatecancer.ca to learn how.
Take action
Learn more about upcoming opportunities to lend your voice and take action.