Mapping the Landscape of Infusion Care for People Prescribed IV Medicines in Canada

Key Messages

• Historically, medically necessary infusion services were provided within publicly funded hospitals under the Canada Health Act. In the early 2000s, pharmaceutical manufacturers set up third-party private infusion clinics to facilitate patient access to new IV drugs.
• This descriptive, cross-sectional study identified all infusion clinic locations in Canada and summarized their ownership, settings, amenities, and types of medicines infused.
• A total of 1,097 infusion clinics were identified that provided outpatient care for people prescribed IV medications. Approximately half of the clinics were owned by private entities and funded through manufacturers’ patient support programs, private insurance, or out-of-pocket by patients.
• Of the clinics offering infusion services for biologics and cancer immunotherapy, more than 85% were private, for-profit companies, whereas 99% of clinics providing chemotherapy or blood products were in the publicly funded system.
• The findings highlight the need for further research into clinic operations and care outcomes to inform government policies on the optimal degree of private sector involvement and strategies to ensure equitable and sustainable access to medically necessary care.