leading in the lab and the community — how abbvie supports the health and well-being of canadians
abbvie’s innovative medicines have helped to treat over 1 million canadians living with chronic conditions, and their support of community programs have helped many more
published dec 22, 2025
4 minute read
4 minute read
abbvie has launched numerous impactful medicines since the company’s establishment in 2013. supplied
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abbvie
this story was created by content works, postmedia’s commercial content division, on behalf of a client.
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if you’ve commuted in the gta or montreal, chances are you’ve shared the road with someone who works at abbvie canada. with over 1,000 employees in canada, including montreal and markham, abbvie canada is one of the largest biopharmaceutical companies in the country.
for those people stepping into an abbvie office, that familiar start to the day is, more often than not, inspiring. there’s the professional satisfaction of launching numerous impactful medicines since the company’s establishment in 2013. but what makes abbvie stand out — to both its people and canadian communities — is the commitment to making a difference outside of developing innovative therapies.
you could be forgiven for skepticism when a large, successful company makes such a claim. though in the case of abbvie canada, the track record speaks for itself.
natacha raphael is head of corporate affairs and patient engagement with abbvie canada, whose portfolio includes corporate responsibility and relationships with patient organizations. she’s seen first-hand the meaningful impacts abbvie canada has made to the lives of many across the country.
“in the 12 years since its inception, abbvie canada has launched 44 new medicines in immunology, specifically in dermatology, gastroenterology and rheumatology,” she says. “we’re also in the neuroscience, oncology and vision care spaces and have most recently launched in the ovarian cancer space. our therapies treat over 1 million canadians living with chronic conditions.”
what makes the abbvie approach different is a method they call anchor zero. “rather than just diving into business strategies,” natacha explains, “we actually take a step back and look at the realities of patients and caregivers and what their unmet needs are.”
natacha raphael, head of corporate affairs and patient engagement with abbvie canada. supplied
rather than focusing solely on medicines, anchor zero asks what solutions can holistically make a difference. that’s the driving force behind abbvie providing more than $10 million in funding to canadian health care, patient-focused initiatives, and community organizations.
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ibd scholarship empowers students with chronic illness
there are dozens of projects and programs that are supported by abbvie, one of which is a particularly impactful initiative with crohn’s and colitis canada.
as part of a longstanding partnership with crohn’s and colitis canada, abbvie has created the ibd (inflammatory bowel disease) scholarship. each year, 15 students are awarded a $5,000 scholarship to support their education at a post-secondary institution in canada.
“our partnership with abbvie has been transformative for the ibd community,” says josh berman president and ceo of crohn’s and colitis canada. “for more than a decade, this scholarship program has not only eased the financial burden for students living with crohn’s or colitis, but it has also amplified their voices and celebrated their resilience.”
inspired by the need to help people with ibd overcome financial barriers, maintain an optimal level of wellness and become involved in their school and communities, the ibd scholarship has helped young people across canada pursue their academic passion — from medicine to playwriting and everything in between. to date, over 150 students have benefitted from the ibd scholarship.
“we’re honestly humbled by the opportunity to provide this scholarship,” raphael reflects. “we know how much these young people can struggle and it really touches our hearts to be able to help.”
“together, we’ve created opportunities for young people to thrive academically and personally, despite the challenges of chronic illness,” says berman. “this collaboration reflects our shared commitment to empowering the next generation and driving meaningful change for everyone affected by ibd.”
giving children a healthy start with breakfast club of canada
establishing partnerships that empower people living with a disease is an important part of the anchor zero philosophy. but abbvie canada also commits to partnerships that go beyond specific therapeutic areas.
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since 2018, abbvie has contributed to the breakfast club of canada, helping countless children across the country start their day with nutritious food in a caring and inclusive environment to learn and thrive better. beyond serving thousands of breakfasts, abbvie’s support strengthened programs and resources to directly benefit children’s well-being.
for more than 30 years, breakfast club of canada has worked tirelessly to give every student from coast to coast to coast an equal opportunity to succeed through providing access to nutritious breakfasts. with the support of partners like abbvie, the club now reaches over 890,000 children in more than 5,000 breakfast programs across the country.
“abbvie’s guiding light is health equity,” explains raphael. “when we think of equity, it shouldn’t necessarily be in a disease space. we really wanted to find ways to support the community to lead healthier lives. and in this case, support the younger generation to begin the day in a healthy way.”
abbvie lends not only financial aid, but volunteers from their teams who foster their culture of altruism while providing on-the-ground support at schools in their communities.
most people would consider themselves lucky to have meaningful work that makes a real difference in people’s lives. and that’s certainly at the core of what abbvie canada does in developing new medicines. but it’s that commitment to going above and beyond that, to natacha and her colleagues, sets abbvie apart.
“we all try to find our purpose and why we get up in the morning,” she explains. “i know that at the end of the day, i have the opportunity to work for an organization that is genuinely trying to find an opportunity to support the patients and the community to make an impact.”
this story was created by healthing content works, healthing.ca’s commercial content division, on behalf of abbvie.
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