The Special Access Program is a specific program in Canada through which healthcare professionals, such as doctors, can request access to certain drugs that are not available in Canada. There are numerous situations where it might be appropriate for a physician to request a drug or treatment that might not be available in Canada; however, the most common situation is when a patient is facing a life-threatening condition and conventional, approved treatments available in Canada have not proven effective. In the application, the physician will need to state what treatments he or she has already tried and provide evidence of their failure. Then, the physician will need to explain why he or she believes certain treatments available outside of Canada might have a higher chance of success. The program was recently amended to make it easier for physicians to access certain treatment options through the program.
If you or someone you know is in immediate distress or is thinking about hurting themselves, call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline toll-free: Call:1-800-273-TALK (8255) Text: HELLO to 741741
