Prince Edward Island is the last province in Canada without a lung cancer screening program — a fact that one member of the Canadian Cancer Society says is unacceptable.
Last week, the organization’s Senior Manager of Advocacy in Atlantic Canada, Heather Mulligan, told a health committee from the PEI Legislative Assembly that the disease will kill about 110 citizens in the province this year.
This unfortunate fact highlights the urgent need for PEI to get up to speed with the other provinces and create a lung cancer screening program to catch the disease in a timely manner. Many citizens don’t find out they have it until they show up at the hospital with symptoms.
“We know that when it is identified at its early stages it is much more treatable and it improves health outcomes,” she said at the meeting on Feb. 5.
Mulligan says the provincial government started making strides to establish a program in 2018 with the creation of a Lung Cancer Coordinator position. PEI then partnered with the government-funded Canadian Partnership Against Cancer organization in 2020 to help forward its creation, but progress has been stalled since then.
🧵 Yesterday, I presented to the @peileg’s Standing Committee on Health & Social Development, sharing what we hear from Islanders every day—cancer is expensive, and accessing care isn’t as simple as it should be. Let’s get into it ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/f8vfqSIqwr
— Heather Mulligan (@h_mulligan) February 6, 2025
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Lung cancer incidence rate is above average in PEI; top cancer killer
The province has established screening programs for other cancers like breast, cervical and colorectal, but no campaign for the deadliest cancer in the disease group. The number of cases on the island is above the national average too, according to the Canadian Cancer Society.
PEI is “falling behind” in this regard, Liberal MLA Gord McNeilly said last year.
However, despite lacking a much-needed lung cancer diagnostics initiative, PEI has been actively engaged in a fight against big tobacco.
Since 2012, the province has been working with BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan and eastern provinces to hold major companies accountable for the health and economic burdens they have contributed to.
These include the British American Tobacco PLC (NYSE: BTI) brand Imperial Tobacco Canada; the Japan Tobacco Inc (TYO: 2914) (OTCMKTS: JAPAY) (FRA: JAT) Canadian subsidiary JTI Macdonald Corp; and the Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE: PM) subsidiary Rothmans, Benson & Hedges.
Lengthy court battle is coming to a close
Final legal proceedings regarding this matter began on Jan. 29 this year. They are expected to conclude in the coming months. When and if the Ontario Superior Court gives it final approval, these three companies will be expected to pay C$32.5 billion.
A sum of C$2.5 billion would be allocated to smokers diagnosed with tobacco-related diseases like lung and throat cancer. Furthermore, C$1 billion would go toward establishing a foundation to fight against respiratory diseases like these.
The rest would be divided amongst provinces and territories for other purposes. This legal battle has been ongoing for a long time.
“We took this case in 1998 and as a result of our case, not only will tens of thousands of victims be compensated by the tobacco industry in Canada, most of them in Quebec, but also governments are going to be sharing C$24 billion,” lawyer Bruce W. Johnston said in October.
rowan@mugglehead.com
