Drug System Reforms
Improving Patient Access to Drugs
Ontario’s public drug programs exist to provide the best and fastest possible access to the best drugs, to Ontarians who need them most.
Rapid Review Process
The process of reviewing and evaluating drugs before making a decision about whether to fund them is critical for a number of reasons, safety and accountability foremost among them. Ontario’s Rapid Review Process was developed to bring some flexibility to the system in cases where drugs hold the promise of being truly innovative. >>> read more
New Drug Funding Program
Historically in Ontario, hospitals paid for their own intravenous cancer drugs, which led to unequal access at different hospitals across the province. The New Drug Funding Program was created in April 2009 to ensure that Ontario patients would have equal access to high-quality intravenous drugs. >>> read more
Exceptional Access Program
The Exceptional Access Program is designed to facilitate patient access, in exceptional circumstances, to drugs approved for sale in Canada but not listed on the Ontario Formulary.
All requests made under the Exceptional Access Program are reviewed according to guidelines recommended by the Committee to Evaluate Drugs and are then subject to approval by the Executive Officer for Ontario Public Drug Programs. A drug product’s review and the development of criteria involve a thorough assessment of the clinical value, safety, and cost‑effectiveness of a drug compared to existing treatments. >>> read more
Drugs for Rare Diseases
One of the biggest challenges facing public drug programs is posed by rare diseases, the treatments for which are almost always harder and more expensive to develop. The government has moved forward on developing a funding framework for Drugs for Rare Diseases to help eligible Ontarians suffering from rare diseases receive the medication they need. >>> read more
See also :
- Ensuring better value for money
- Promoting the better use of medications
- Investing in innovative health system research
- Strengthening transparency and accountability in the public drug system
For More Information
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TTY 1-800-387-5559.
In Toronto, TTY 416-327-4282
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