In order for a drug to be approved for use in this country, the product manufacturer must submit it to Health Canada for review.
In that review, Health Canada evaluates the drug’s safety, efficacy (does it work) and quality.
If approved, the medication will be issued a Notice of Compliance (NOC), which allows the manufacturer to make it available to Canadians.
At this point, private insurers are free to start covering the drug. Depending on the kind of oncology medication it is, it may be available to purchase out-of-pocket.