Fund Elahere nationally
Petitioners ask the Minister of Health to instruct the pCPA to restart negotiations with AbbVie and reach a pan‑Canadian funding agreement making Elahere (mirvetuximab soravtansine) a funded treatment for ovarian, fallopian tube and peritoneal cancers.
Why we would sign this petition
- Would expand access to a drug the petitioners say is more effective than funded chemotherapies, potentially improving outcomes for patients with ovarian, fallopian tube and peritoneal cancers.
- Offers an alternative side‑effect profile that may suit patients with comorbid conditions (e.g., inflammatory bowel disease), enabling treatment for people who tolerate traditional chemotherapy poorly.
- A pan‑Canadian funding agreement would reduce financial barriers and unequal access caused by high out‑of‑pocket costs, especially for vulnerable patients.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- Funding Elahere may require substantial budget trade‑offs; provinces may need to reduce coverage of other services or drugs to accommodate costs.
- Clinical benefit shown in trials may not apply to all patients or settings; independent cost‑effectiveness and real‑world evidence may be needed before pan‑Canadian funding.
- Reopening pCPA negotiations could divert limited negotiation resources and delay other priority drug reviews; provinces may prefer alternative procurement or coverage approaches.
The summary and both sets of reasons are AI-generated from the petition and given equal weight. Claims are the petitioners’ own; consult the official record for the full text.
Official petition
Petition to the Minister of Health The public funding negotiations for Elahere (mirvetuximab soravtansine) have experienced extensive delays, after initial negotiations concluding with no agreement; In treating ovarian cancer, Elahere has been proven to be more effective than traditional funded chemotherapies (see study in the New England Journal of Medicine); Elahere has side effects that are different from traditionally used chemotherapies, which make it a better choice for many patients with underlying conditions, like Crohn's Disease; and Exorbitant medication costs unfairly disadvantage vulnerable communities, cutting them off from life-changing care. Citizens deserve a healthcare system that funds the most effective treatments available. We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Minister of Health to instruct the pCPA (Pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance) to restart negotiations with the manufacturer of Elahere (AbbVie), with a mandate of reaching an agreement that will see Elahere become a funded treatment option for patients suffering from ovarian, fallopian tube and peritoneal cancers, across the country.
Government response
No government response is available yet.