Patient support programs

Resources for Canadian stakeholders

Patient support programs: Resources for Canadian stakeholders

The PSP Leaders Forum

Since 2022, the PSP Leaders Forum has provided a collaborative setting for Canadian pharmaceutical manufacturer patient support program leaders to advance PSP capabilities, expertise, and knowledge to best support positive outcomes and access for patients. Together, we’re building best practices to inform standards for PSPs and real-world data from PSPs in Canada.

The PSP Leaders Forum members

Current members include:

Research and Publications

Peer-Reviewed Article: Data collection within patient support programs in Canada and implications for real-world evidence generation: The authors’ perspective

This article from 20Sense and Dr. Winson Cheung of the University of Calgary Oncology Outcomes Research Program was published in the Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences special issue on Real World Evidence: Paths to Enhancing Patient Access to New Medications. Publication date: Oct. 2023.


Framework for Collecting Real-World Data within a PSP

This framework outlines the process for collecting RWD within a PSP. There are three areas within the framework: plan, build and collect. This framework is intended to support organizations looking to include RWD generation within a PSP. Publication date: Oct. 2022.


Checklist to Address Trust and Bias Issues at PSP Data Collection

Trust and bias were identified by Canadian HTA and payers as top concerns when evaluating real-world evidence studies using PSP data. This checklist is intended to support organizations looking to increase the acceptability of PSP data at the collection stage, by addressing trust and bias issues. Publication date: Oct. 2022.


Data Quality Considerations when Collecting Real-World Data within a PSP

To support the generation of high-quality PSP data, an accelerated design sprint was conducted on building a patient support program data quality program. Five themes were identified, with details listed under each theme, which should be considered by stakeholders when planning to collect data within a PSP.


20Sense Report: Real-World Data from PSPs in Canada - Where We Are Today and What’s Next

PSP data collection, research, and evidence-generating capabilities continue to evolve. More and more PSPs serve as a source of real-world data – but how is this data being used? We break down the numbers and share five leading studies that turned PSP data into real-world evidence. Publication date: Apr. 2023.


The 5 Value Levels of Patient Support Programs in Canada

Advancing patient support programs to higher levels generates increasing value for patients. Publication date: Mar. 2023.


Poster: Canadian Patient Support Program Enrolment Form Standardization

This study aims to identify areas of opportunity for standardization of EFs by assessing the current state of Canadian PSP EFs across three therapeutic areas (TA): multiple sclerosis (MS), oncology, and rheumatology. Presented at the Canadian Association for Population Therapeutics Conference, Oct. 21, 2024.


Survey Results: Canadian Patient Support Program Data Capabilities

This survey looks at the baseline state of PSP data, PSP data capabilities, and future plans for PSP data collection in Canada. Publication date: Oct. 15, 2020.


Poster: Can Canada’s PSP infrastructure support the collection of RWE for OBAs

Presented at the Canadian Association for Population Therapeutics Virtual Conference, Oct. 26, 2020.


Video: Can Canada’s patient support program infrastructure support the collection of RWD for use in OBAs?

Presented at the Canadian Association for Population Therapeutics Virtual Conference, Oct. 26, 2020.


Article: Patient Support Program Data for Outcomes-Based Agreements

Leading Canadian data and PSP experts weigh in on the potential for PSP data to support outcomes-based and other innovative market access agreements. Publication date: Apr. 2021.