RAISE AWARENESS
World PH Day
Make the Call. Make it Count​
On May 5th, World PH Day, patients, families, and supporters across Canada came together for a national phone blitz—raising their voices for equitable access to life-saving treatment.
What Happened
On May 5, World PH Day, our community came together to make our voices heard.
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Across Canada, patients, families, and supporters helped drive a national phone blitz—ensuring that government offices heard directly from those affected by pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).
Three provinces in Canada—Alberta, Prince Edward Island, and New Brunswick—have not yet made sotatercept (Winrevair) available to patients. Meanwhile, patients in other provinces already have access.
That’s not fair—and it’s not acceptable.
While the day of action has passed, the need for change remains.
Together, we continue to call on these provinces to act.​​
How You Can Still Take Action
Make the Call
If you live in Alberta, Prince Edward Island, or New Brunswick, you can still make an impact.
Pick up the phone and call your provincial Minister of Health’s office.
We’ve provided phone numbers and a simple script to guide you.
It takes just 5 minutes—and your voice still matters.
Sample Phone Scripts
Patient Advocates
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Hello, my name is [insert your name]. I live in [insert your city], and I’m calling to speak with someone in the Minister’s office about an urgent issue affecting my health.
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I live with a serious and life-shortening disease called pulmonary arterial hypertension. It causes the arteries in my lungs to become narrowed and thickened, which can lead to heart failure.
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I’m calling because patients in my province still do not have access to a new, life-saving medication called sotatercept, while patients in most other provinces across Canada already do. I’m trying to understand—why not here, and when will that change?
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This medication has been approved by Health Canada, recommended for funding by the Canadian Drug Agency in November 2024, and a national pricing agreement was reached in November 2025 through the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance.
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With all of that in place, patients like me are still waiting—and our time matters.
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Can you please tell me when a decision will be made about adding sotatercept to our provincial drug formulary? I would also appreciate any updates as this moves forward.
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IF THIS IS A VOICEMAIL - Please call me back at [insert phone number] with any updates. Thank you
Caregivers, Families, Supporters
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Hello, my name is [insert your name], and I live in [insert your city].
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I’m calling about an urgent issue affecting people living with pulmonary arterial hypertension—a serious, life-shortening disease.
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Patients in my province still do not have access to a new, life-saving medication called sotatercept, while most other provinces in Canada already do. I’m trying to understand—why not here, and when will that change?
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This drug has been approved by Health Canada, recommended for funding, and a national pricing agreement is already in place—yet patients here are still waiting.
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I’m calling to ask: when will a decision be made to add sotatercept to our provincial drug formulary? I would also appreciate any updates as this moves forward.
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IF THIS IS A VOICEMAIL - Please call me back at [insert phone number] with any updates. Thank you
Does your province already provide access to sotatercept?
(BC, MB, ON, QC, NS, NL, SK)
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Take this opportunity to thank your Minister of Health for prioritizing the health of PAH patients in your province
👉 Use our quick tool to send a thank-you email to your Minister of Health.
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Positive reinforcement matters—and helps protect access for others.
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Together, we can’t be ignored
World PH Day showed what’s possible when our community comes together with one clear message.
That momentum doesn’t end here.
Make the call. Make it count.
Previous Years
1. The Paint Canada Purple Campaign
World PH Day 2024 saw 23 landmarks illuminated purple and 7 proclamations issued recognizing May 5th, World PH Day in communities from coast to coast!
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2. The Socio-Economic Burden of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH)
PHA Canada and Canadian VIGOUR Centre have conducted a survey on the socio-economic burden of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The findings reveal significant disruptions to quality of life and major medical and socioeconomic consequences for PAH patients.
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Read the report and share it to raise awareness of the impact of PAH.
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Listen the PHaware Podcast featuring Dr. Jason Weatherald discussing the Burden of PAH
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3. PHA Canada holding awareness days on Parliament Hill
On May 6th & 7th, representatives of PHA Canada were on Parliament Hill in Ottawa to raise awareness with officials and parliamentarians of the challenges faced by Canadians affected by PAH and to urge them to move ahead quickly with the provinces to allocate the new funding promised for rare disease medicines through the National Strategy for Rare Disease Drugs.
Thank you to the following government and elected officials for the opportunity to discuss the challenges experienced by our community:
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Francesco Sorbara - MP for Vaughan-Woodbridge
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Tracy Gray, MP for Kelowna - Lake Country
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Ekateryna Nova, Senior Policy Advisory, Minister's Office
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Mohamed-Iqbal Ravalia - Senator for Newfoundland and Labrador
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MP Robert Morrissey - Member of Parliament
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MP Vance Badawey - Niagara Centre
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Daniel MacDonald - Director General, Drugs for Rare Diseases, Health Canada
These discussions are crucial in improving access to care and treatments for Canadians with PAH. Let's continue to advocate together to make a difference!
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4. Media Outreach
Engaging with the media is a powerful way to amplify awareness about pulmonary hypertension (PH). Effective media outreach can lead to increased public understanding, support, and funding for PH initiatives.
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Op-ed by PHA Canada Board Member, Dr Sanjay Mehta, published in The Hill Times
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Press release from May 6, 2024
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Article “The severe impact of pulmonary arterial hypertension on Canadians” published in Healthing
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Article “New funding urged for PAH treatment in Canada“ published in Benefits and Pensions Monitor
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Brin Marks and Jamie Myrah raising awareness of PH on Global News
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Joan Paulin raising awareness of PH on the "What's with RWE" podcast