The New Drug Funding Program (NDFP), which is administered by Cancer Care Ontario on behalf of the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, provides about 75% of the overall funding for intravenous cancer drugs. NDFP funding is for new and approved intravenous cancer drugs administered in hospitals. The other 25% is for older drugs approved before the NDFP was created and is covered by the hospitals' budgets.

Ontario Public Drug Programs decide what drugs are funding, relying on advice from an expert advisory committee.

Historically, each hospital paid for its own intravenous cancer drugs, which led to unequal access at different hospitals across the province. Decisions were not always based on evidence about medical benefit and value for money. The NDFP was created to ensure that Ontario patients would have equal access to high-quality intravenous drugs.

The list of NDFP-covered drugs, and the indications for which they are covered, are posted in the Cancer Drugs section of the Cancer Care Ontario website.

Information on approval of new drugs for cancer care is available on the CED/Cancer Care Ontario (CCO) Subcommittee page of the Drug Submission section of this website.

• Ontario Drug Benefit Program
• Trillium Drug Program
• Special Drugs Program