Key Messages
What Is the 2026 Watch List?
- The Watch List is an annual Horizon Scan report from Canada’s Drug Agency that highlights emerging health technologies and issues that could shape the future of health care in Canada.
- The 2026 Watch List focuses on regenerative medicine. It is organized into 2 parts — 5 regenerative medicine technology platforms and 5 related issues that are expected to meaningfully influence health systems in Canada over the next 5 years.
Why Is This Important?
- Regenerative medicine is a rapidly advancing, multidisciplinary field focused on repairing, replacing, or regenerating damaged cells, tissues, and organs. Through advances in gene editing, stem cell therapy, tissue engineering, and other emerging approaches, regenerative medicine has the potential to shift the goals of therapy from symptom management to restoring biological function, which could transform care options for patients and support broader health systems and societal benefits.
- Canada has made major contributions to regenerative medicine innovation, yet many regenerative medicine technologies, including those developed in Canada, are not currently easy to access within our health systems. To fully realize the potential of regenerative medicine in patient care, emerging advances in the field need to be identified, along with implementation barriers from across the entire product life cycle.
How Was the Watch List Developed?
- The project was informed by an advisory group of experts in regenerative medicine including 1 patient partner who provided guidance and input at key points throughout the project.
- A 25-item list was generated through a literature search of published medical literature, supplemental informal web searching for news articles and industry reports, and expert input. We included specific examples of relevant technologies, ongoing clinical studies, or other initiatives to demonstrate how each item is being explored in practice.
- A diverse group of 20 multidisciplinary participants from across Canada, with experience and expertise in regenerative medicine, developed the 2026 Watch List by reviewing the 25-item list and selecting the top items through consensus-based decision-making using a modified James Lind Alliance priority-setting approach during a half-day virtual workshop.
- The examples provided for each technology platform are used to support understanding, are not exhaustive, and do not represent endorsement by Canada’s Drug Agency.
What Is the Potential Impact?
- By highlighting these emerging technology platforms and related issues early, this Watch List is intended to support health care decision-makers in anticipating system-level changes needed to implement regenerative medicine across Canada and shape how its potential benefits could be realized by patients, clinicians, and health systems.