Coalition Priorité Cancer au Québec

Coalition Priorité Cancer au Québec
Name	Coalition Priorité Cancer au Québec
Formation	2016
Type	Coalition
Headquarters	Quebec City, Quebec
Region served	Quebec, Canada

Coalition Priorité Cancer au Québec is a Quebec-based coalition focused on cancer care priorities and health system reform. Founded in the 2010s, the group brought together patient advocates, clinician associations, research institutes, and non-profit organizations to influence provincial cancer policy. Its activities intersect with institutions such as hospitals, universities, regulatory agencies, and parliamentary bodies in Quebec and Canada.

History

The coalition emerged amid debates involving Quebec Ministry of Health and Social Services (Ministere de la Sante et des Services sociaux), Quebec City health authorities, and advocacy by stakeholders linked to Institut national de santé publique du Québec, CHU de Québec–Université Laval, McGill University Health Centre, Laval University, and Université de Montréal. Early milestones included public campaigns that referenced decisions by the National Assembly of Quebec, interactions with the Canadian Cancer Society, and responses to reports from Institut national d’excellence en santé et en services sociaux. The group engaged with media outlets such as Le Devoir, La Presse, and Radio-Canada and participated in consultations alongside professional bodies like the Collège des médecins du Québec, the Quebec Nurses Association, and specialty societies linked to Canadian Association of Radiation Oncology and Canadian Association of Medical Oncologists.

Mission and Objectives

The coalition articulated objectives aligned with priorities promoted by organizations such as World Health Organization, Canadian Cancer Research Alliance, and provincial standards from the Agence de la santé et des services sociaux de Montréal. Central aims included improving access to diagnostics and treatment pathways used in centers like Centre hospitalier universitaire Sainte-Justine, reducing wait times comparable to benchmarks set by Cancer Care Ontario and supporting research networks including Canadian Institutes of Health Research and Quebec Research Funds (FRQ). The coalition emphasized patient-centered care models reflected in documents from Institute for Healthcare Improvement and policies debated in the National Assembly of Quebec.

Organizational Structure and Leadership

The coalition's governance combined representatives from patient groups such as Cancer Research Institute of Quebec affiliates, clinicians from institutions like Hopital du Sacre-Coeur de Montreal, researchers affiliated with McGill University and Université Laval, and administrators connected to regional health authorities including the Integrated University Health and Social Services Centre. Leadership roles included a board drawing members with prior ties to the Order of Canada, academic appointments at universities like Concordia University and policy experience related to the Privy Council Office and provincial cabinets. The structure enabled liaison with regulatory bodies including the Quebec College of Physicians and non-profits such as Fondation du cancer du sein du Quebec.

Programs and Initiatives

Initiatives included public awareness campaigns modeled on programs by the Canadian Cancer Society and screening advocacy aligned with guidelines from Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care. The coalition promoted diagnostic capacity expansion citing examples from Tom Baker Cancer Centre and service integration practices seen at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. Projects targeted wait-time reduction, teleoncology pilots similar to initiatives by BC Cancer, and survivorship support informed by work at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and BC Cancer. Educational efforts involved partnerships with professional associations like the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and patient-navigation programs inspired by models at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.

Advocacy and Public Policy Influence

The coalition engaged policymakers through briefings to members of the National Assembly of Quebec and submissions referencing standards by the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health and Patented Medicine Prices Review Board. It launched campaigns timed with provincial budget cycles and health reform debates involving the Quebec Ministry of Health and Social Services (Ministere de la Sante et des Services sociaux), advocated amidst jurisdictional dialogues with Health Canada, and collaborated with legal and policy scholars from University of Ottawa and McMaster University to shape recommendations. Media coverage and position papers sought influence on procurement, workforce planning, and cancer drug formularies overseen by agencies like INESSS.

Partnerships and Collaborations

The coalition formed alliances with patient organizations, academic centers, and charitable foundations including Canadian Cancer Society, Fondation du cancer du sein du Quebec, and university research groups at McGill University, Université de Montréal, and Université Laval. It coordinated with healthcare providers such as CHU de Québec–Université Laval and regional health networks, and collaborated with think tanks and policy institutes active in Quebec and Canada, including researchers from Institut national de santé publique du Québec and international partners associated with Union for International Cancer Control and World Health Organization initiatives.

Impact and Reception

Observers and stakeholders from institutions such as McGill University Health Centre, CHU de Québec–Université Laval, and provincial policymakers recognized the coalition for raising the profile of cancer wait times, treatment access, and research funding debates. Support came from patient advocacy groups and some clinical societies, while critiques arose from analysts linked to provincial budget offices and commentators in outlets like Le Devoir and La Presse regarding priorities and resource implications. The coalition's influence is visible in policy discussions at the National Assembly of Quebec and in programmatic shifts at cancer centers across Quebec.

Category:Health advocacy organizations in Canada Category:Cancer organizations