B.C. ends cancer program that sent patients to U.S. for radiation therapy

The B.C. government announced on Monday it is ending the program that sent some patients to the U.S. for radiation therapy.

The program, which began in May 2023, offered eligible patients the option to travel for radiation therapy treatment at two clinics in Bellingham, Wash. in order to access life-saving treatment.

However, the province says that at the end of February 2025, approximately 93 per cent of patients in B.C. were waiting less than four weeks to start radiation treatment. This exceeds the national benchmark of 90 per cent and is a 24 per cent improvement since spring 2023, when only 69 per cent of patients were starting treatment within four weeks.

“Our priority has always been to ensure that cancer patients have timely access to life-saving treatment while we build and strengthen B.C.’s public health-care system for the long term,” Josie Osborne, Minister of Health said in a statement.

“By hiring more specialists, upgrading our hospitals, and expanding innovative treatments, B.C.’s 10-Year Cancer Action Plan is working to improve wait times for radiation therapy and meet national benchmarks. Thanks to the progress we’ve made over the past two years, we can now safely wind down this temporary program and focus on getting patients the care they need in B.C.”

2:24 Concerns about B.C. patients getting cancer treatment in the U.S.

BC Cancer said it has seen a steady decline in the number of patients choosing to go to the U.S. for treatment.

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A total of 1,107 patients have completed radiation therapy in the U.S. through the program to date. At the peak of the program, in fall 2023, there were an average of 50 patients being treated in the U.S. each week.

Based on current participation rates, it is estimated that approximately 104 patients would access the program over the coming year if it were to continue, according to a release from the province.

This represents 0.6 per cent of the 16,900 patients projected to need radiation treatment in 2025-26.

Nine patients are scheduled to complete their treatment in the U.S. under the program before the end of the contracts.