How does the EAP relate to coverage under ODB?

The Emergency Access Program (EAP) is designed to provide a safety net for patients who need access to medications that are not typically covered under the Ontario Drug Benefit (ODB) program. This program facilitates the process for healthcare providers to make requests for specific drugs that are not part of the standard ODB formulary. It is particularly relevant for drugs that may be critical for a patient's health but are not universally available through the ODB due to various reasons, such as a lack of comprehensive evidence for broader coverage or medications that may be new to the market.

In the context of the EAP, healthcare providers can submit a request to access medications that may not yet be included in the ODB's list of covered drugs. This process helps ensure that patients who require specific treatments still have a pathway to receive their necessary medications, emphasizing the EAP's role as a supplementary means of accessing drugs that are outside the normal benefits coverage structure of ODB.