Ontario is accelerating access to six new life-extending cancer drugs through a first-in-Canada initiative designed to connect patients with breakthrough treatments up to a year sooner.
“For every Ontarian facing a cancer diagnosis, timely access to high-quality treatment can make all the difference,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “Through the FAST program, we’re accelerating access to life-saving therapies across the province, bringing hope, peace of mind, and transformative care to those who need it most.”
The province announced Thursday that six cancer treatments have now been approved for funding through the Funding Accelerated for Specific Treatments program, known as FAST. The pilot program is intended to reduce lengthy wait times for publicly funded cancer drugs by expediting access to high-priority therapies, helping patients receive treatment significantly sooner than under the traditional approval process.
Since October 2025, the program has accelerated access to treatments including TAGRISSO for lung cancer, SCEMBLIX for a form of leukemia, NUBEQA for prostate cancer and CALQUENCE for lymphoma, as well as OPDIVO in combination with YERVOY for certain types of colorectal and liver cancers. Ontario officials say more cancer drugs are expected to be fast-tracked in the coming months as the program continues.
The government says Canadian patients typically wait close to two years to access newly approved publicly funded medicines, about a year longer than patients in other developed countries. The FAST program aims to close that gap by expediting access to seven to 10 high-priority cancer drugs each year, allowing patients to receive publicly funded treatments up to a year earlier.
FAST focuses on medicines approved through Project Orbis, an international initiative that speeds up regulatory reviews for promising cancer therapies. The province says the approach puts patients first by reducing delays and modernizing how cancer care is delivered in Ontario.
The program operates as a three-year pilot and will be evaluated to assess patient experience, scope and long-term sustainability. Ontario says the initiative builds on broader efforts under its Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care strategy to modernize the health-care system and improve access to critical services.
“Innovative Medicines Canada applauds the Government of Ontario for delivering on its promise to accelerate access to life-extending cancer treatments for Ontarians. This announcement is an important milestone for patients and the health system alike. We look forward to working in partnership with Ontario to deliver a successful FAST program and to advance similar initiatives across the country. By leading the way on FAST, Ontario is setting a clear standard for the rest of the country — demonstrating how timely access to innovative medicines can be achieved, especially as Canada navigates the new U.S. policy on most-favoured nation drug pricing,” said Dr. Bettina Hamelin, president and CEO of Innovative Medicines Canada.
