About Petition e-5186

What is Petition e-5186?

Petition e-5186 is a formal call for systemic improvements in pancreatic cancer care in Canada. It was initiated by the founder of The Heather Cutler Foundation, Christopher Cutler from Mount Pearl, Newfoundland and Labrador, and is part of an ongoing advocacy effort. The petition originated from Heather Cutler’s personal story, shared in the Intro to Advocacy Series, and expanded to address national challenges outlined in Why Canada’s Pancreatic Cancer Survival Rates Are a National Disgrace.

Petition Details

Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament assembled:

• Access to clinical trials with a molecular medicine focus is limited to four provinces: Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec, Alberta;
• The absence of national guidelines means oncologists are not actively recommending somatic testing or clinical trial participation to patients;
• Canada’s five-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer remains at only 10%, highlighting the urgent need for improved care;
• While PANCAN offers Canadians free access to the “Know Your Tumor” program, our government provides no comparable support, leaving patients without the best possible outcomes;
• The U.S. Precision Medicine Initiative demonstrates that adopting adaptive frameworks like basket and umbrella trials can modernize healthcare and improve patient care;
• Financial and geographical barriers prevent many Canadians living outside urban cities from accessing clinical trials, as travel and accommodation costs are not covered;
• Health Canada’s modernization of clinical trials and the CRAFT framework aim to decentralize trials and increase access, but more government support is needed.

We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:

1. Establish national guidelines and protocols for genetic and somatic testing, with clear government reimbursement for somatic testing;
2. Ensure equitable access to clinical trials by providing financial support for travel and accommodation expenses for patients and their caregivers;
3. Develop partnerships with airlines, hotels, and transportation providers to reduce costs for trial participants;
4. Expedite pCPA funding negotiations for the chemotherapy drug Onivyde, set timelines for future decisions to be completed within 1-2 years, and increase transparency by publishing open minutes and decision timelines;
5. Support initiatives like Health Canada’s clinical trial modernization and the CRAFT framework to decentralize trials and improve access.

Key Details

• Keywords: Experimental methods, Health services accessibility, Pancreatic cancer
• Original Language: English
• Initiated by: Christopher Cutler, Mount Pearl, Newfoundland and Labrador

History

• Open for signature: December 4, 2024, at 3:38 p.m. (EDT)
• Closed for signature: April 3, 2025, at 3:38 p.m. (EDT)

Member of Parliament

Seamus O'Regan
St. John's South—Mount Pearl
Liberal Caucus, Newfoundland and Labrador