Ontario’s health minister says the province will now publicly fund a new treatment for advanced prostate cancer.
Health Canada approved Pluvicto in August 2022, but patients have been waiting since then for provincial health plans to announce coverage.
Health Minister Sylvia Jones said Ontario is the first Canadian jurisdiction to publicly fund and administer the treatment.
Receive weekly health news
Receive the latest medical news and health information every Sunday.
Ontario says it is working with hospitals to implement Pluvicto as standard treatment for patients with advanced prostate cancer and that it should be available to eligible patients in most centers cancer treatment centers in the province over the coming months.
Pluvicto is a targeted radioligand therapy, a radioactive drug that kills certain cancer cells and uses a medical isotope produced in Ontario.
Experts say radioligand therapy has fewer side effects than traditional radiotherapy because it minimizes damage to healthy cells.
© 2025 The Canadian Press