Canadian health plans, pharma firm agree on terms to fund costly prostate cancer treatment [Video]

An organization representing Canada’s public drug plans has come to a deal with a pharmaceutical company over a cutting-edge means of treating prostate cancer, bringing hundreds of patients one step closer to receiving the potentially life-saving but costly treatment. 

In November, the Pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance (pCPA), which negotiates drug prices for provincial, territorial and federal health plans, and Novartis broke off negotiations, leaving patients without coverage for Pluvicto — the brand name for a treatment that kills cancer cells with the radioactive isotope lutetium-177.

But the two parties reopened negotiations and, earlier this month, signed a letter of intent that lists the terms and conditions for funding the treatment.

Now, it’s up to individual provinces to determine whether hundreds of eligible prostate cancer patients will have coverage for Pluvicto, which Novartis offers at $27,000 per dose — putting the cost of an average five-dose treatment at $135,000.

Acting pCPA CEO …