Program directory · Health Canada

Thalidomide

Department

Health Canada

Program code

BVG15 (H)

Core responsibility

Health Care Systems

In Departmental Plans

2018-19 – 2022-23 · Appeared and later dropped

What it does

One of the key priorities for the federal government is to provide Canadians with affordable, sustainable and efficient health care systems that take into account their specific needs. The Canadian Thalidomide Survivors Support Program (CTSSP) is intended to contribute to meeting the lifetime needs of Canadian thalidomide survivors so that they may age with dignity. Thalidomide was a drug marketed and approved in Canada in the early 1960's as a sedative but was used off label to treat morning sickness in pregnant women. Tragically, when taken in the first trimester of pregnancy, the drug had devastating consequences which led to miscarriages, birth defects and even death. The CTSSP uses a probability-based medical assessment process to confirm eligibility under the program. It provides ongoing assistance to Canadian thalidomide survivors based on their level of disability, as well as access to an Extraordinary Medical Assistance Fund (EMAF). The EMAF helps pay for home and vehicle adaptations or specialized surgery not covered by other provincial/territorial health plans, as well as some ongoing costs such as physiotherapy, chiropractic care and attendant services.

Source: the department's Program Inventory, via GC InfoBase.

History and lineage

First appears in GC InfoBase's actual spending by program in 2018-19. The data does not record when a program was created; it may be older than its first appearance here, which is limited by the sources (program spending starts in 2010-11, Departmental Plans in 2018-19).

No earlier or later program in the same department has a similar name.

Significant changes in scope and budget

Success criteria

The program's indicators from its department's Departmental Results Framework: the target set in each year's plan, and the result reported the following year. Source: GC InfoBase.

Spending and employees: planned against actual

Spending

Employees (FTEs)

Planned spending, plan by plan

Each row is one year's Departmental Plan and its forecast for the next three fiscal years; read a column down to see how the forecast for one year changed. The last row is what was actually spent. Click an amount for its source. Biggest changes in federal spending plans

Actual spending is from Departmental Results Reports and the Public Accounts, as published in GC InfoBase. FTEs are full-time equivalents.