Expensive Drugs for Rare Diseases in Canada: Time for Action Everywhere and by Everyone

Abstract

Expensive drugs for rare diseases pose unique economic, evidentiary and ethical challenges, and these will continue to escalate unless steps are taken urgently to address these challenges. We propose concrete actions that all stakeholders (federal and provincial/territorial governments, patients, healthcare providers, the public and drug manufacturers) could take now as a first step toward enhancing sustainability in the use of innovative (albeit expensive) therapies within our publicly funded healthcare system.