October 8, 2025 - October 8, 2025
Connect with Us at CAHR's Market Access Forum
The Westin Toronto Airport Hotel - Sutton Meeting Room | 950 Dixon Road, Toronto, ON, M9W 5N4
10:00 AM
INESSS & Santé Québec Update & Overview
The panel will discuss the current state of affairs within the Quebec healthcare system and the potential impact on access to new pharmacologic therapies.
Panelists: Melanie Caron, Director, INESSS, Patrick Manfred, Vice President, TACT Intelligence-Conseill
Moderator: Michael Sung, Cencora Innomar Strategies
Michael Sung
Michael Sung is Senior Manager, Government Relations at Innomar Strategies. He brings over a decade of experience in government relations and policy, spanning roles in provincial and federal government, energy, healthcare, life sciences, and technology.
Michael began his public policy career with the Ontario Ministry of Health and later worked in national political strategy in Ottawa. Prior to joining Innomar, he led government affairs initiatives for organizations such as Bruce Power and the Canadian Nuclear Isotope Council - the world’s largest operating nuclear facility, as well as Uber, Meta, and multiple global biopharmaceutical and international development organizations.
At Innomar Strategies, Michael leads government relations efforts, focusing on policy development, regulatory engagement, and improving access to medications and patient support programs across Canada.
Michael holds a strong interest in healthcare system transformation, rare disease policy, and the evolving payer landscape.
1:30 PM
Evolving Landscape of Private Payers Roundtable
In this session, the panel will discuss current status and updates on private payer negotiations and PLAs
- How does risk management and cost containment approaches differ for private payer negotiations vs. for public? How do they differ between different drug classes (e.g., DRDs, low per patient costs but high-volume drugs, etc.)?
- Any impact from consideration of pharmacare & coordination of benefits?
- What will be the most notable trends/ changes as we move forward to 2027 and beyond?
Panelists: Bobbi Curie - Director, Drug Evaluation, Manulife
Marie-Hélène Dugal - national pharmacy strategy lead, Medavie Blue Cross
Moderator: Shanta Zurock, Senior Director, Reimbursement Strategy, Cencora Innomar Strategies
Shanta Zurock
Shanta Zurock is a strategic and innovative thought leader in the Canadian pharmaceutical industry, currently serving as the Senior Director, Reimbursement Strategy at Innomar Strategies. With a strong background in market access reimbursement, and insurance, she has successfully led initiatives that streamline operations and enhance payer engagement, including the development of a specialized reimbursement team that enhanced organizational competitiveness. She is also a subject matter expert on both the public and private payer environments in the Canadian pharmaceutical ecosystem.
Shanta holds a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy and a Bachelor of Commerce, both from the University of Alberta and she currently serves on the board of the Canadian Association for Healthcare Reimbursement (CAHR). Her interests lie in developing innovative strategies that enhance patient support services, team member engagement drive positive outcomes within the healthcare system. She is passionate about continuous improvement and learning as well as driving cross-functional excellence and collaboration.
Increase market access in specialty care
Our breadth of industry experience, expertise in specialty, and tailored solutions will ensure patients have timely access to your specialty medication when they need it the most.
InnomarConsulting™ services include
- Proven track record of successful market access submissions for public (CDA, INESSS) and private payers
- Expertise in numerous complex therapeutic areas including rare disease, oncology, and immunology
- Pricing strategy, pCPA negotiations and product listing agreements (PLAs) for optimal success
Who to meet with
Advisory boards comprised of payers, leading physicians and other key opinion leaders
Consultation with patient associations and advocacy groups in Canada
Preparatory meetings with review bodies and key clinicians as needed
Let's Connect
Fill out the form below to request a time to connect with our experts while attending Market Access Forum or if you are interested to learn how our expert insights can guide your business decisions.
