Alyftrek has been approved in Canada. Why are people still waiting?

Alyftrek has been approved in Canada. So why can’t people access it yet? Unfortunately, for people waiting to access lifesaving treatments, approval is only the first step.  

Before publicly funded access can happen, pricing negotiations still need to be completed and provinces and territories need to make funding decisions. That means people can still wait months after a treatment is approved before they can access it. 

But what is Alyftrek and why does waiting matter? 

Alyftrek is the newest cystic fibrosis (CF) therapy approved in Canada. It belongs to a group of medicines called CFTR modulators, which work by treating the underlying cause of cystic fibrosis rather than only managing symptoms. For some, Alyftrek may represent another treatment option. For others, it may be the only life-saving treatment for them. 

So what happens while people wait? 

People living with cystic fibrosis don’t get to pause their disease. While access begotiations between the manufacturer and public drug plans continue, people are still spending hours every day managing treatments, protecting lung health, trying to prevent serious infections, and navigating the uncertainty of what comes next. People living with cystic fibrosis have waited long enough. 

Help us call for urgency.  

This community has helped us rally for urgent access before, and we are demanding it now. Take less than a minute to help us show decision makers that access matters.