Women sue over delays in treatment for breast cancer
[03/19/2004; British Medical Journal]
A class action lawsuit is being launched against 12 Quebec hospitals on
behalf of 10,000 patients who waited more than eight weeks for radiotherapy
after being diagnosed with breast cancer. The suit, the first of its kind,
could entail damages as great as $C50m (21m pounds; $US37m) and have
repercussions in provinces across Canada.

The suit was initiated by Anahit Cilinger, a Montreal woman of Turkish
origin, who after waiting three months in vain for radiotherapy under
Canada's public healthcare system, received it in Istanbul at a cost of
$US10,000. Her daughter arranged for the therapy within 24 hours.

Canadian provinces, and Quebec in particular, have had problems providing
prompt radiotherapy for some years. By 2000, several provinces were forced
to send more than 800 patients to the United States for treatment as a
result of shortages of healthcare staff and long waiting times. The board of
Canada's major cancer treatment centre--Princess Margaret Hospital in
Toronto--considered a proposal by staff to ask patients to sign waivers
stating they were aware of the risks involved in joining long waiting lists
(BMJ 2000;320: 203). The proposal was never carried through. Instead, the
hospital sent those waiting a letter telling them their options. They could
either continue to wait for treatment at the Princess Margaret or could opt
to be sent elsewhere in Ontario or to the United States.

In 1999, Quebec had about 1200 patients waiting for radiotherapy, some for
as long as five months (BMJ 1999;318: 1507). Dr Carolyn Freeman, director of
radiation oncology at McGill University health centre, then approved of
sending patients to the United States as part of a short term solution, but
said that long term planning was essential.