At a Glance
What the data shows
In Canada, there are often several months between a new approval and public funding for a cancer drug while national price negotiations run their course. Ontario's FAST (Funding Accelerated for Specific Treatments) pilot, launched in October 2025, is built to shorten that timeframe — it provides interim public funding for 7–10 Project Orbis oncology drugs before pan-Canadian negotiations conclude.
In the pilot's first eight months, FAST-funded drugs reached Ontario listing over 60% faster than oncology submissions overall — measured as the median number of calendar days from Health Canada approval (NOC) to Ontario listing.
Median time from NOC to Ontario listing
The comparison covers all oncology files with a final pERC recommendation at CDA-AMC between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2024, against all Project Orbis files funded by Ontario through FAST as of May 31, 2026.
Why FAST changes the sequence
Under the conventional pathway, provincial listing follows the conclusion of pCPA negotiations. FAST shifts this approach: Ontario lists the drug through interim funding while negotiations are still underway.
Why it matters
For manufacturers with Project Orbis oncology assets, FAST is shifting expectations for the Canadian timelines — and early data points to substantial time savings. Forecasts, launch sequencing, and payer engagement plans based on pre-2025 timelines may warrant revisiting.
Methodology & sources
How we measured it
Data accurate as of May 31, 2026. The All Oncology group includes all oncology files that received a final recommendation from pERC at CDA-AMC between 2021-01-01 and 2024-12-31. The Pre-NOC Oncology group includes all oncology files submitted to CDA-AMC pre-NOC with a final pERC recommendation in the same window. The FAST group includes all Project Orbis files funded by Ontario through FAST as of May 31, 2026. Time from NOC to Ontario listing is calendar days between NOC date and Ontario listing date; medians are calculated for files with a valid NOC and Ontario listing date.
Sources: Notice of Compliance (NOC) Database, CDA-AMC Reimbursement Reviews, pCPA Brand Name Drug Negotiations Status, Ontario Formulary Search, and the MORSE Consulting Data Intelligence Tool.
What's next
Detailed findings — including medians, pathway timelines, and full methodology — will be presented in our Project Orbis sub-report in September 2026. For the full picture of Canadian reimbursement timelines, our CRaFT 2026 report is available to order now.
MORSE's Canadian market access data supports evidence-based insights for complex questions. If your team is facing a market access challenge, we would welcome the opportunity to connect.