By MPP Bobbi Ann Brady
Men in this province are still waiting for the Ontario Government to cover Prostate-Specific Antigen testing (PSA). Ontario is one of the only provinces in Canada that does not have the test available for free through a provincial health plan. In Ontario, it costs about $42.50 to take the test.
Last year, I rose in the Ontario Legislature, calling on the government to step up on this important issue for men over 50. This past week, my colleague Wayne Gates, MPP for Niagara Falls, renewed the call at Queen’s Park during a news conference asking the Ford government to cover the cost of PSA tests through the Ontario Health Insurance Program (OHIP) when referred by a healthcare provider. MPP Gates had asked me to participate but vehicle troubles kept me close to home at the last minute.
Although prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer amongst Canadian men and the PSA test is a key step in early detection, and despite MPP Gates raising this in 2019, 2020, and 2023, Ontario men still wait.
“We know that 1 in 8 men in Canada will be diagnosed with prostate cancer over the course of their lifetime. This year alone, it is estimated that 5,000 men will lose their lives to this devastating disease,” MPP Gates said at the news conference. “But we also know that when prostate cancer is detected early, nearly 100 percent of men with the disease will survive five years or longer.”
The most recent press conference was supported by the Canadian Cancer Society, specifically Dr. Stuart Edmonds and three patient advocates living with prostate cancer, including Anthony Henry from the Walnut Foundation, Dr. Anthony Dixon, an emergency room physician in Chatham-Kent, and Pete Ward, one of MPP Gates’ constituents.
As the lone Independent member of provincial parliament, I have the ability to support intelligent strategies across party lines. No party has a monopoly on good ideas. I think Mr. Gates’ idea is a no-brainer, and the current government has not provided a satisfactory answer as to why they just won’t cover the test.
When I stood last April, I appealed to the government to make a provision that all the men we love—our grandfathers, fathers, sons, brothers, nephews, friends, and fellow citizens—should have access to OHIP-covered PSA testing. Presently, the province only covers a PSA test for those whose practitioner suspects prostate cancer or those who have already been diagnosed—this is not early detection.
Females have access to early detection tests, yet Ontario refuses to alter the current OHIP coverage for PSA testing, allegedly due to national guideline recommendations. Eight other provinces have managed to provide coverage despite those guidelines. As an aside, I learned this week that the Ministry of Health is working with Cancer Care Ontario to include Human Papillomavirus (HPV) testing as part of the regular screening process for women. However, once again, Ontario is behind other provinces that have already made the move to HPV testing from the regular PAP.
Earlier this year, I was honoured to speak at the Ride for Dad – a charitable motorcycle ride with the mission of saving men’s lives. With 20 years of advocacy and nearly $40 million, this government spins its wheels. On the day of the ride, we heard stories from survivors who were blessed with early detection. But also tragic stories from those who have lost a loved one. The cost to treat cancer is far greater than the $3 million projected for regular PSA testing for men over 50.
So, I am linking arms with MPP Gates to encourage the government to do what is right and just. The men in my life are very important to me, as are the women. I want everyone to have the same access to testing that can save their lives.
Bobbi Ann Brady is the MPP for Haldimand-Norfolk