January 22,2026
RED FM News Desk
Ontario has approved funding for six new life-extending cancer drugs under its Accelerated for Specific Treatments (FAST) program , a first-in-Canada initiative designed to speed up access to breakthrough treatments. The program aims to give patients publicly funded cancer therapies up to one year sooner than the current system.
The approved treatments include TAGRISSO for lung cancer, SCEMBLIX for a type of leukemia, NUBEQA for prostate cancer, CALQUENCE for lymphoma, and OPDIVO combined with YERVOY for a type of colorectal cancer and a type of liver cancer. Since October 2025, these drugs have been fast-tracked for funding, with more approvals expected in the coming months.
The province says Canadian patients often wait nearly two years for new publicly funded medicines. FAST will accelerate access to seven to ten high-priority cancer drugs each year by prioritizing therapies approved through international fast-track reviews.
Ontario says the three-year pilot program is part of its broader plan to modernize health care and improve timely access to life-saving treatments for cancer patients across the province.
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