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Bringing the Thyroid Patient Voice to Canada’s Drug Review Process: TFC Contributes to National Dialogue on Patient Engagement |
The Thyroid Foundation of Canada (TFC) recently submitted formal feedback to Canada’s Drug Agency (CDA) as part of a national consultation on how to evolve the patient group input process in drug reimbursement reviews (cda-insights…).
This consultation invited patient organizations to share their experiences and recommendations on how CDA can make the process more meaningful, inclusive, and aligned with decision-making needs. TFC’s submission emphasized the need to improve both the structure of patient input and the systems that use it.
Drawing from internal expertise, patient community conversations, and a review of CDA’s deliberative framework, TFC’s response highlighted several priorities:
- Increasing transparency about how patient input informs final reimbursement decisions
- Recognizing lived experience as a critical evidence stream, not supplementary context
- Supporting flexible submission formats, including narrative, video, and structured templates
- Highlighting the need to streamline processes for patient groups, particularly in how submissions are structured and prioritized
- Elevating the combined voice of patients and clinicians when identifying unmet needs
The consultation was open between May 13 and June 5, 2025, and reflects CDA’s broader commitment to evolving how patient voices are integrated into health technology assessment (HTA) in Canada.
This submission reflects TFC’s growing commitment to national conversations around equitable access, evidence-informed care, and the inclusion of thyroid disease in Canada’s health policy landscape.
We’re very happy to have added our voice to this meaningful initiative, and we’re hopeful that the insights shared by patient organizations across the country will shape a more transparent, compassionate, and responsive drug review process.
Most of all, we look forward to seeing how CDA uses the input it has gathered, not just in principle, but in practice.
As always, the Thyroid Foundation of Canada remains committed to championing the lived experience of patients and contributing to a healthcare system that truly reflects the realities of those it serves.
July 2025
