May 16, 2023
The B.C. government will soon begin sending up to 50 cancer patients per week to the United States for treatment.
Health Minister Adrian Dix announced the plan to add capacity outside the province at a news conference Monday afternoon.
“Starting May 29, 2023, BC Cancer will offer eligible patients the opportunity to have their radiation therapy at one of two partner clinics in Bellingham, Wash,” Dix said.
The minister described the move as a necessary one to reduce wait times for B.C. cancer patients while the province works to build up its own capacity to meet the expected surge in demand for cancer treatment in the coming years.
The province announced plans for expanding that capacity earlier this year, but Dix said those plans are not enough for people dealing with the disease right now.
Read more: https://bc.ctvnews.ca/b-c-to-send-cancer-patients-to-u-s-for-radiation-treatment-1.6399653