The shocking consequence of these delays is that more and more Canadians are paying out of pocket to access the endometriosis care they need outside of the country. To be clear, these are not experimental or unnecessary procedures; they are standard and life-changing surgeries. It is also not just wealthy Canadians who are seeking care internationally. We have spoken to people who have drained their savings or taken out second mortgages to make treatment possible.
Fortunately, there are opportunities to make real change in the lives of women and gender-diverse Canadians with endometriosis. Looking internationally, our peer nations like Australia, France and the United Kingdom have all identified endometriosis as a pressing women’s health issue and developed policies to tackle the disease. The common theme of these policies is investment in three areas: first, improving timely access to appropriate care; second, enhancing knowledge of the disease among health care providers and the public; and, third, investing in research to identify the cause and cure of endometriosis.
We strongly urge the committee to consider how Canada can join our peer nations in taking coordinated and strategic action on endometriosis. In our view, the first and critical step would be to consult with Canadians who have endometriosis as well as clinicians and researchers to better understand the contributors to the current challenges and create a national action plan on endometriosis to address this problem. Together, we can make real change on this pressing health issue.
Thank you.