JointHealth
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JointHealth™ express   July 14, 2011


Good news for Quebec residents living with hyperuricemia

Quebec residents now have access to a new therapy to treat hyperuricemia, which sometimes leads to gout, called febuxostat (Uloric®). It is the first new treatment option in more than 40 years for the condition.

In June, the Régie de l'assurance maladie Quebec (RAMQ) added febuxostat to its provincial formulary for the treatment of people with:
“complications stemming from chronic hyperuricemia, such as urate deposits revealed by by tophus or arthritic gout, when there is a serious contraindication or serious intolerance to allopurinol.”
Hyperuricemia is an abnormally high level of uric acid in the blood, which causes the joint swelling and inflammation associated with gout. Febuxostat is an oral medication that lowers uric acid levels.

Originally approved by Health Canada in September 2010, febuxostat is now covered for people who qualify for Quebec’s Public Prescription Drug Insurance Plan. People who are 65 or older, who receive last-resort financial assistance, and those who are not covered by private plans, are eligible under this Plan.