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Cancer Patient Fights System for Life-Saving Drug
7 Nov
Summary
- Woman denied life-saving out-of-country cancer treatment
- Ministry doctors recommended approval, but patient was unaware
- Patient now suing Ontario healthcare system for funding
A Toronto woman facing an unresectable metastatic synovial sarcoma is locked in a battle with Ontario's Ministry of Health for a potentially life-saving treatment. Diagnosed at 28, the cancer returned aggressively in September 2025, spreading to her lungs and reducing her prognosis to 12-18 months with standard care.
The only promising option, Tecelra, is not available in Canada. Specialists identified Sabrina Apitz-Grossman, 31, as an ideal candidate for the drug, which costs approximately USD $787,000. Despite applying to the Prior Approval Out of Country Program, her request was initially denied.
Compounding her distress, Apitz-Grossman discovered through a Freedom of Information request on November 3, 2026, that medical professionals at the Ministry of Health had repeatedly recommended her treatment be approved. Her application was reevaluated in June 2026, with Ontario Health again recommending funding, yet she was never informed.
This bureaucratic oversight occurred while Apitz-Grossman's health deteriorated, with doctors advising treatment commencement in early 2026. She has since resorted to legal action, aiming to secure funding and potentially ease the path for future patients with rare diseases. The case has drawn attention in the Ontario legislature, with opposition questioning the government's priorities.
Apitz-Grossman emphasizes that decisions regarding critical care should be guided by medical experts, not bureaucrats. She calls for a public discussion on how to support patients with rare cancers who require treatments not readily available within the province, asserting that no one in Ontario should be left to die when viable treatments exist.
