Release
Department of Health, Office of the Premier
May 21, 2026
FREDERICTON (GNB) – The government is committing up to $2.5 million to equip advanced care paramedics with pre-hospital thrombolytics, helping deliver faster, life-saving cardiac care to New Brunswickers experiencing certain types of heart attacks.
Thrombolytics, also known as clot-busters, are medications that break down blood clots and restore blood flow to the heart, helping to minimize damage and, in some cases, stop a heart attack that could otherwise be severe or fatal.
“Our number one priority is to make sure New Brunswickers can get the right care at the right time,” said Premier Susan Holt. “Equipping paramedics with these life-saving medications means people experiencing an emergency can start receiving treatment sooner, when every minute matters most.”
Providing earlier access to these medications can help reduce mortality, limit complications and improve overall patient outcomes for people experiencing cardiac emergencies.
“In cardiac emergencies, time is critical, and paramedics are often the first health-care professionals on scene to evaluate and treat patients,” said Health Minister John Dornan. “By equipping advanced care paramedics with thrombolytics, we are enabling treatment to begin sooner, when it can have the greatest impact on saving lives and reducing long-term damage.”
The funding supports the initial purchase and ongoing replenishment of medication for the current fiscal year. It also includes any technological upgrades needed to support safe and effective use in the field.
Ambulance New Brunswick will begin using thrombolytics this summer.
This initiative expands the skill set of Ambulance New Brunswick’s advanced care paramedics to meet the scope of practice for administering pre-hospital thrombolytics. Paramedics are already administering these medications in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and Nova Scotia.
“This investment represents an important advancement for both patient care and the paramedics who deliver it,” said Craig Dalton, CEO of Extra-Mural/Ambulance New Brunswick. “Our advanced care paramedics are highly skilled clinicians, and this initiative recognizes both the depth of their expertise and the critical role they play in delivering advanced care to New Brunswickers. Expanding their ability in the field is a meaningful step toward enabling them to work to their full scope of practice while helping ensure patients receive critical treatment when they need it most.”
“Putting thrombolytics into the hands of New Brunswick paramedics allows the health-care system to have a greater impact on patient outcomes,” said Eric Grant, president of the Paramedic Association of New Brunswick. “This announcement recognizes what paramedics already know: when you put these types of solutions closer to the patient, the entire health-care system becomes stronger.”
21-05-26
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Media Contact(s)
Sean Hatchard, communications, Department of Health, [email protected].