2026 Western Day: Managing Reimbursement During a Time of Heightened Uncertainty

2026 WESTERN DAY
MANAGING REIMBURSEMENT DURING A TIME
OF HEIGHTENED UNCERTAINTY

Fairmont Hotel Macdonald
10065 100th Street | Edmonton, Alberta

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2026 | 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM (MST)
EVENING RECEPTION
TO HONOUR RECENT INDUSTRY RETIREES AND FEATURE LECTURE
Empire Ballroom
Hors d’oeuvres & cash bar

Keynote Address: First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) as a leader and trailblazer as the first and only provincial First Nations Health Authority in Canada with Cindy Preston, Director of Pharmacy and moderated by Raegan Howard, GSK.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR RECENT INDUSTRY RETIREE!
Dan L'Abbe, CPA (CMA)

FULL DAY EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM
TUESDAY FEBRUARY 3, 2026 | 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (MST)
Empire Ballroom

The Canadian Association of Healthcare Reimbursement’s (CAHR’s) Western Day Planning Committee is pleased to present its annual review of key pharmaceutical and life sciences policy issues from a western perspective.

In 2026, we are thrilled to welcome former executive director of BC’s Pharmaceutical Services Division, Mitch Moneo, to present the 2026 Steve Long Memorial lecture. In addition, the new pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance (pCPA) CEO, Mauro Chies, will join us as a keynote speaker later in the day. Several substantive panel sessions are also planned, including one that will explore vaccine coverage in the West and another that will consider how to engage in effective advocacy.

We will also feature a CEO’s panel, which will reveal how innovative pharmaceutical companies are managing risk in the current environment and another session that will give senior leaders from the Western cancer agencies a podium to discuss what has been going on in their worlds.

And as always, (almost annually) we will end the day with a panel of pharmaceutical reimbursement and policy experts from the four provincial drug plans.

AGENDA

8:30am             Breakfast

9:00am            
Welcome & Housekeeping
Emcee: Gerry Jeffcott, 3Sixty Public Affairs

9:15am             Elder Irene Morin, Cree Nation

9:30am            
Steve Long Memorial Keynote Address: Mitch Moneo, Former Assistant Deputy Minister, BC PharmaCare

We look forward to the insights to be offered by long-time BC public drug plan official and national leader, Mitch Moneo, who has graciously accepted the invitation to deliver the annual Steve Long Memorial Lecture in 2026. Moderated by Gerry Jeffcott, 3Sixty Public Affairs.

10:15am          Pharmaceutical Leadership Panel

• Alison Pozzobon, Vice President, Communications, Government Affairs and Market Access, GSK
• Rodrigo Reis, Manager, UCB Canada Inc.
• Sameeh Salama, Chief Scientific Officer, Fedora Pharmaceuticals
  

In turbulent policy and budget conditions, market access leadership is increasingly about resilience: anticipating shifts, managing trade-offs, and protecting patient access while sustaining innovation. This Canadian Leaders Panel—featuring GSK, UCB, Fedora and Vertex—will discuss how leaders are navigating volatility, constraints, changing federal priorities, and misinformation. Expect practical lessons on preparedness versus firefighting, evidence strategy under pressure, and where opportunities exist despite the turbulence. Moderated by Robb Stoddard, CEO Bio-Alberta 

10:50am          Networking Break

11:20am         
Vaccine Reimbursement and Impact of Expanding Pipeline - How will Public Health Keep up with Innovation?

Panelists:

• Sofia Bartlett, Scientific Director at the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control and an Assistant Professor (Partner) in the School of Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia
• Beth Kidd, Executive Director of the Health Coalition of Alberta,
• Ellen Rafferty, Managing Principal Health Economist at the Institute of Health Economics and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine, University of Alberta
• Truong Ta, PhD, Director, Market Access and Pricing, Moderna Canada

Health systems across Canada are navigating familiar pressures—balancing priorities, managing resources thoughtfully, and responding to public expectations. Within this landscape, vaccines and public health products often follow distinct funding pathways that differ from traditional pharmaceuticals, with implications that can affect how patients and families access these preventive tools.

This panel will explore how vaccine decisions unfold in Canada after authorization—from recommendations and provincial adoption through to procurement, delivery, and evaluation. We'll consider how current processes are adapting to evolving circumstances: fiscal realities, competing public health needs (including prevention-focused therapeutics), communication challenges, and variable uptake patterns across childhood immunizations, influenza, and COVID-19. 

The conversation will also touch on cross-departmental budget considerations—where vaccination investments may generate savings in other parts of the system—and the evolving boundaries between traditional drugs and immunization products. Our aim is a practical discussion of how these pathways work, the trade-offs involved, and opportunities to support transparency, timeliness, equity, and health outcomes.  Moderated by Dr. Scott Klarenbach, Professor, University of Alberta; Director, Alberta Real World Evidence (RWE) Consortium

12:10pm          Networking Lunch

1:00pm            
Panel: Oncology Perspectives from Western Cancer Care Leaders

Panelists:

• Dr. Helen Anderson, Senior Executive Medical Director, Provincial Systemic Therapy and Medical Programs, BC Cancer
• Deb Bulych, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency and the Vice Chair of the Canadian Association of Provincial Cancer Agencies
• Brenda Hubley, Managing Director (Interim) of Cancer Care Alberta
• Dr. Kent Stobart, President and CEO, Cancer Care Manitoba 

In light of significant changes in cancer care organizations across Western Canada, this panel will provide each province with an opportunity to share updates on challenges and opportunities and discuss what these might mean for best practices in how industry and cancer systems can collaborate to optimize care and access to medicines for cancer patients. Moderated by Tami Crawley, Tami Crawley Consultants

1:50pm            
Panel: Impact-Driven Advocacy: What Matters Most and Considerations for Reimbursement

Panelists:

• Anne-Marie Bisson, Managing Director, Zebricks
• Sudha Kutty, Executive Vice-President, Evidence, Products, and Service, Canada’s Drug Agency
• Christopher Lam, President & CEO of the BC Lung Foundation
• Chad Mitchell, Senior Associate, Health & Life Sciences at Global Public Affairs
• Dr. Nancy Nixon, Medical Oncologist at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre and Assistant Professor at the University of Calgary
  

Effective, credible advocacy is increasingly essential in Canada’s evolving HTA and reimbursement landscape. This panel brings together patient leaders, clinicians, policy experts, and researchers to explore what truly drives impact. Moderated by Ursula Mann, Principal & Chief Patient Officer, Patient Voice Partners

2:40pm             Networking Break

3:10pm            
pCPA Presentation
Mauro Chies, CEO, pCPA

Hear  from new pCPA CEO Mauro Chies, who will offer his insights from his first year as head of the agency, speak to pCPA’s plans going forward and answer questions from attendees. Moderated by Gerry Jeffcott, 3Sixty Public Affairs

3:50 pm           
Payer Leadership Panel

Panelists:

• Tijana Fazlagic, Executive Director of Therapeutic Assessment & Access, part of the Health System Policy & Oversight Division at the British Columbia Ministry of Health
• Chantelle Patrick, Executive Director of Drug Plan & Extended Benefits Branch, Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Health
• Kimberlee Neid-Weiss, Government of Alberta, Acting Director, Professional and Industry Relations, Pharmaceutical and Health Benefits Branch AB

Moderated by Stephen Filbey, WestPar Consultancy Inc.

4:40 pm           
Closing Remarks
Emcee: Gerry Jeffcott, 3Sixty Public Affairs

5:00pm           
Closing Reception sponsored by Global Public Affairs

Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from leading experts and be part of an engaging and informative discussions.

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CAHR reserves the right to cancel or change speakers, content and date without prior notice. We assume no liability for these changes. 

Cancellation Policy: Cancellations received two (2) weeks or more prior to the event will receive a 75% refund. No refunds will be issued for cancellations made less than two (2) weeks in advance. Delegate substitutions are permitted at no additional cost.

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR SPONSORS FOR 
THEIR SUPPORT!

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