JointHealth™ express May 29, 2008
On Thursday, May 29 Arthritis Consumer Experts (ACE) and the Canadian Arthritis Patients Alliance (CAPA) are holding a press conference in Toronto to call upon the Ontario Government to stop discriminating against people who live with arthritis.
In Ontario, the arthritis community faces very serious issues around medication reimbursement for several biologic response modifiers, the "gold standard" in treatment for moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and psoriatic arthritis.
Here are the specific problems:
Please click here for more information about the press conference, and what you can do the help.
On Thursday, May 29 Arthritis Consumer Experts (ACE) and the Canadian Arthritis Patients Alliance (CAPA) are holding a press conference in Toronto to call upon the Ontario Government to stop discriminating against people who live with arthritis.
In Ontario, the arthritis community faces very serious issues around medication reimbursement for several biologic response modifiers, the "gold standard" in treatment for moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and psoriatic arthritis.
Here are the specific problems:
- Abatacept (Orencia®) is still not listed on the Ontario medication reimbursement formulary for rheumatoid arthritis. This is in spite of the fact that it has received a recommendation to list from the Common Drug Review.
- Adalimumab (Humira®) for ankylosing spondylitis has not yet been listed on the Ontario medication reimbursement formulary. This, in spite of the fact that it has received a recommendation to list from the Common Drug Review.
- Infliximab (Remicade®) remains under review for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis in spite of strong clinical and cost-effectiveness research supporting their use.
- Rituximab (Rituxan®) for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis is only reimbursed after a person fails two other specific biologic medications. This listing criterion has no scientific basis, and only serves to delay appropriate treatment for people who need rituximab.
- Provincial review times for abatacept, adalimumab, and infliximab thus far have ranged from ten months to more than two years.
Please click here for more information about the press conference, and what you can do the help.