In Focus Blog

Announcing the Year 2 Rewrite Cancer Innovation Challenge winning submissions that will help create change for a better future for cancer care.

As technology advances, new types of data like genomic profiling provide a deeper, clearer view of people and their cancer. Our ability to learn from this data puts the promise of truly personalized healthcare within reach.

Roche virtually hosted 27 high school students for our annual STEM day, offering a unique view into potential career paths with a STEM education, and sharing the knowledge and skills needed to be successful.

It’s important to find a job you love. Employee Pino Florio shares his thoughts on what makes a great company and why he chose to return to Canada after working abroad.

An overwhelming number of Canadians support the concept of a national pharmacare program. However, there is little alignment on what a such a program would look like.

January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. And we could actually eliminate cervical cancer in our lifetime. Yes, it’s possible! And it turns out the WHO plan is pretty straightforward: just three (okay, big) steps! Canada is well on its way, but there’s still work to be done, and you can be part of it!

For people with hemophilia, a rare but serious inherited bleeding disorder, it can define who they are and how they live. A new campaign inspires people with hemophilia to redefine their goals, aspirations, and what it is really like to live with the disorder.

Technology is helping people and their doctors identify and track how multiple sclerosis might be progressing.

Health is at the heart of everything we do at Roche. Find out more about our science-based approach to creating an environmentally-friendly workplace.

Multiple sclerosis affects everyone differently. To show this individuality, we asked Grace and Marie, two people living with MS, to share their stories.

At the start of a new year, many Canadians resolve to improve their fitness. Unfortunately, many don’t follow through. Through our wellness initiatives, we help our employees balance family and work life, and meet their personal goals

New types of Alzheimer’s treatments may soon be available, but the current healthcare system isn’t prepared. We’re exploring challenges and solutions to help ensure Canadians can get timely access.

There are many questions about this work and common misconceptions that prevent people from participating in clinical trial, so we thought we would take the opportunity to debunk a few common myths.

How a diverse group of partners is aiming to change healthcare

Imagine patients could easily access and understand their medical information. Clinicians’ administrative work was easier to tackle. Scientists' research was bolstered with a wealth of curated data. What sounds like an idealist’s vision of healthcare, may not be too far from becoming reality in Quebec. A diverse group of health system partners, including patients, scientists, and industry partners like Roche, are coming together to form the Quebec SmartCare Consortium (quebecsmartcare.com), driving access and responsible sharing of personal health data.

Yesterday, Roche and nine other Innovative Medicines Canada member companies voluntarily published payments made to Canadian healthcare providers and organizations in 2016. Today, we comment on why we are committed to advancing this framework to help enhance trust and start a discussion about the value we bring to our healthcare system.

In an interview, Roche Canada leaders, Ronnie Miller, President & CEO Roche Pharma Canada, and Andrew Plank, President & General Manager Roche Diagnostics Canada, share their insights and the learnings that will shape not only our organization, but hopefully how the public and private sector can work together to address public-health challenges in the future.

Canada needs a New Pap Test; it’s a simple idea with a huge impact. Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women, despite the fact that it’s almost entirely preventable. It’s time to take action; we owe it ourselves and the women in our lives to make comprehensive cervical cancer screening a priority.

As we near the holidays and the end of an important year, we share our views on the trends that have shaped our business in 2017 and helped us live our mission of “doing now what patients need next.”

Brigitta has survived war, built a new home in Canada, and raised a loving family – but fighting lymphoma was one of her most challenging life experiences. Now she’s sharing her advice for others living with the disease.

A breast cancer diagnosis can bring a range of emotions and the start of an unpredictable time for a patient and their loved ones. Understanding your options and available resources will be key to creating a plan that is as individual as you.

Cancer impacts us all and everyone should have a say in the development of the Canadian Strategy for Cancer Control. We encourage you to take #30MinutesThatMatter to provide input.

In our first In Focus post, we explain who we are and why Doing now what patients need next stands as our purpose statement.

In today’s job market, recent graduates’ lack of experience is often cited as a reason for youth unemployment. To help overcome this challenge, each year we welcome a group of students into our office to work on teams related to their area of study. As we say farewell and good luck to this year’s summer students, we spoke with Ana-Maria Calixto about her experience in our program.

No parents should have to raise four children in a neighbourhood where they fear for their safety. Thanks to Habitat for Humanity GTA, and the volunteer efforts of our employees, the Botchway’s have a safe and affordable home that they can call their own for years to come.

With the 2017 Invictus Games taking place in Canada, employee Magda Leonowicz talks about what inspired her to volunteer and how adaptive sport can change lives.

Our greater understanding of genomics, Big Data, and the untapped insights sitting within digital health records are shifting the boundaries of what is possible in the quest to improve patient care.

Digital health technologies are becoming more ingrained within healthcare, offering ways to streamline patient experiences and improve health systems to deliver tailored care to each individual.

Real world data is increasingly important to capture the full story of innovative treatments and emerging health solutions to help guide healthcare practice. Roche is collaborating with the RWD experts at Oncology Outcomes to make sure Canada is ready.

Transforming lives by preventing, diagnosing, treating and monitoring cardiac diseases

Life is unpredictable and can change in a moment. The hectic pace of life, work and the lack of activity due to the pandemic are affecting our heart health.

Personalized healthcare innovations do not always fit into the traditional health system funding approach. If Canadians want access to these treatments, the system needs to adapt now.

With biosimilars starting to shift the oncology treatment landscape, it is essential for decision makers to continue to focus on what is most important, and that’s the needs of the patient.

Curing cancer demands our best efforts. Dr. Sandra Horning, Head of Global Product Development, shares her thoughts about the importance of creating partnerships that drive innovation.

Early pregnancy is a time filled with excitement and questions. Non-invasive prenatal tests (NIPT) can help provide answers to those big questions earlier than the traditional prenatal screening process, helping families prepare for what’s ahead.

The Roche Canada Data Science Coalition has galvanized like-minded academic and private organizations to work alongside the global research community to develop and implement solutions to tackle COVID-19 and build a framework for future challenges.

Those living with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) face many challenges. SMA My Way provides a place for all those living with and affected by SMA to share their stories and empower one another.

This year’s Rewrite Cancer Innovation Challenge invites teams to submit ideas for maintaining equitable access to care, irrespective of where patients live. This topic is more important than ever as our healthcare system tries to provide reliable and consistent care to those with cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ovarian cancer claims the lives of five Canadian women every day. But how do you stop a disease when people aren’t aware it exists? We spoke with Elisabeth Baugh, CEO of Ovarian Cancer Canada, who shared her organization’s journey to building a worldwide community around a misunderstood disease.

Our approach to diversity and inclusion focuses on celebrating the unique attributes of our employees, and creating a space for people to be their true selves and do their best work on behalf of patients.

Throughout the years, we’ve searched for innovative solutions to common problems, some of which have impacted our world in surprising ways.

As biosimilars enter the oncology treatment landscape there are a host of patient and physician considerations, recently explored in a Canadian Breast Cancer Network whitepaper.

A more inclusive workplace means better ideas and better performance. We're proud that our executive team is made up of 65% women. We spoke with a few of them about their careers and how we have generated a culture of female leaders at Roche Canada.

Announcing the 2017 Rewrite Cancer Innovation Challenge winning projects that will help improve the Canadian patient experience as we enter a new era of cancer care.

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the lives of billions of people, nearly overwhelming healthcare systems and pushing the global economy to the brink of collapse. The quest for effective treatments and a preventive vaccine starts with – and depends on – the broad availability of fast, accurate and reliable diagnostic tests.

Each person living with cancer is unique. So, too, is the genomic profile of each patient’s tumour unique – and may hold the key to treating their cancer. This is where testing can make the difference.

Experts will not deny that, when it comes to detecting SARS-CoV-2, PCR tests are highly reliable to deliver effective results, which of course is a critical part in fighting this unprecedented global healthcare emergency. To be honest, they remain the gold standard and definitely the method of choice in Canada’s screening strategy…

On one day each year, employees from Roche sites around the world raise money through the Roche Children’s Walk. Aiman Naseer shares her experience visiting communities supported by this initiative.

As we embark on this new decade, with a renewed enthusiasm and commitment to create a gender equal world, we asked members from our Women’s Network and Roche leaders for their perspective on this important topic.

Challenging would be the best adjective to describe 2020, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. We have been tested not only as humans but also as a society. A year that has taught us to never take for granted what we have, to value each other and to be ready for the unexpected. A year in which collaboration has been the core value in the fight against the pandemic.

After several emergency room visits, Anthy was eventually diagnosed with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder, or NMOSD, a rare autoimmune disorder of the central nervous system. People living with the condition also experience unpredictable and severe relapses.

Access to innovation, job creation, and a strong life sciences ecosystem are necessary for the sustainability of our healthcare system. We’re committed to building a fair, effective and efficient system that meets the needs of Canadians today and tomorrow.

Nearly half of all Canadians are expected to be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. In support of friends and family who are fighting or have lost their battle with this disease, members of our team embark on the Ride to Conquer Cancer, a more than 200 km cycling journey to fund cancer research.

Before a medicine or diagnostic can be used, it must undergo a rigorous testing process. In this post we examine clinical trials and their impact on patients.

It’s been 65 years since Watson and Crick described DNA and 15 years since scientists first decoded the human genome. And while we know there is still a lot we don’t understand, we also celebrate how far we’ve come in genetic science and the possibilities personalized medicine holds for the future.

Incoming GM, Brigitte Nolet is ready to work in partnership to solve the greatest healthcare challenges

Over the past 15 years, Brigitte Nolet has held various global and affiliate leadership roles within Roche. She is a tri-sector leader - not for profit; public and private sectors - who is passionate about solving the complexities of healthcare for the future.

We’re proud to announce our commitment to supporting charities in the communities where we live and work.

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated many existing gaps in the Canadian healthcare system, while showing the incredible value that the life sciences sector brings to our country. This crisis has shown that a strong healthcare system needs high-quality data, health researchers, infrastructure and manufacturing capacities, across governments and academia, and within the private sector.

Canada is a leader in clinical research, ranking 4th globally. Through innovation in clinical trial design and policies to address existing gaps, we can build on this history of excellence, ultimately improving the health of Canadians and supporting economic growth.

Ronnie Miller shares final message as President & CEO, Roche Canada

Following an impactful 43-year career in the innovative pharmaceutical industry, Roche Canada’s President and CEO shares his most memorable moments.

Considering multiple treatment options is a crucial step for many lung cancer patients throughout their journey. After Lucy was diagnosed and the standard chemotherapy approach didn’t work, her doctor began looking at immunotherapy to personalize her treatment.

What does it take to be a great leader? Jennifer Cook, Global Head of Clinical Operations (Pharma), Christina Archer, Site Head for PD Clinical Operations, and Heather Graham, Site Head for PD Regulatory, share their perspective.

Genomic testing shed light on the unique characteristics of Jennifer’s lung cancer and helped her doctor explore different treatment options tailored to her diagnosis.

The recent introduction of biosimilars is changing Canada’s healthcare landscape. We hope to shed some light on what originator biologics and biosimilars are, how they are manufactured and how they are approved for use in patients.

NATIONAL LAB WEEK 2022

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have heard many stories about the role each healthcare professional has played, and we are sincerely thankful for that. But there is a profession, an essential one, that often goes below the radar of the public opinion and that should never be ignored: Laboratory professionals.

The COVID-19 pandemic has put healthcare at the forefront of Canadians’ minds and many conditions are vying for attention. Following World Alzheimer’s Month, we’d like to highlight the need to continue working on finding ways to support Canadians impacted by Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Through partnerships, we can fully realize the potential of great science and the meaningful impact it can have on the lives of Canadians.

Widespread, reliable testing can help the world chart a course back to normal life

In every country affected by the pandemic, experts have come to recognise one indisputable fact: accurate and broad testing is critical to containing and controlling this global health threat.

Roche Canada’s COVID-19 Open Innovation Challenge called on Canadians to develop solutions to address healthcare system challenges arising from the pandemic. Ideas came from across the country, demonstrating Canadian skill and talent. From over 800 submissions, 11 unique solutions were chosen and are underway.