Patient support programs for people prescribed an advanced therapy
For some living with inflammatory forms of arthritis, day to day life can be painful and a real struggle so accessing necessary treatments shouldn't be. To assist people living with complex chronic diseases like inflammatory arthritis, pharmaceutical companies offer patient support programs to assist with much of the initial paperwork required to determine whether a person’s public or private drug reimbursement plan will provide coverage for the medication. Patient programs are designed to provide coordination between the physician’s office – at the time the prescription is handed to a patient – and for the entirety of a person’s time on their medication and while enrolled in the program.
What should a person prescribed an advanced therapy expect from the patient support program?
Once a rheumatologist prescribes a specific advanced therapy to a person living with inflammatory arthritis, the patient program coordinator can reach out to them to begin the enrollment process.
At the same time the patient support program coordinator begins processing paperwork, they also reach out to the person prescribed the medication to do an initial needs assessment. Based on the person’s specific needs, the coordinator recommends services available in the program to customize it. Patient support program services vary from pharmaceutical company to pharmaceutical company, but all offer help with getting reimbursement coverage from the person’s public or private insurer, information and education resources, nursing support (for things like self-injection training) and even financial assistance in dire emergencies.
The patient support programs can also help people navigate the medication reimbursement process, including:
Originator biologic DMARDs (boDMARDs)
Biosimilar biologic DMARDs (bsDMARDs)
Targated synthetic DMARDs (tsDMARDs)
Learn more
The information ACE is presenting on medication treatments is not intended to suggest a course of treatment. It is for information only.
If you are a person living with arthritis, there are several sources for information about arthritis medication treatments. A rheumatologist or pharmacist will have valuable information about different medicines and advanced therapies. Always speak to your doctor before starting or stopping a medication. You should also look for additional evidence-based information from your provincial drug plan or private health insurer, or patient support program.
For some living with inflammatory forms of arthritis, day to day life can be painful and a real struggle so accessing necessary treatments shouldn't be. To assist people living with complex chronic diseases like inflammatory arthritis, pharmaceutical companies offer patient support programs to assist with much of the initial paperwork required to determine whether a person’s public or private drug reimbursement plan will provide coverage for the medication. Patient programs are designed to provide coordination between the physician’s office – at the time the prescription is handed to a patient – and for the entirety of a person’s time on their medication and while enrolled in the program.
What should a person prescribed an advanced therapy expect from the patient support program?
Once a rheumatologist prescribes a specific advanced therapy to a person living with inflammatory arthritis, the patient program coordinator can reach out to them to begin the enrollment process.
At the same time the patient support program coordinator begins processing paperwork, they also reach out to the person prescribed the medication to do an initial needs assessment. Based on the person’s specific needs, the coordinator recommends services available in the program to customize it. Patient support program services vary from pharmaceutical company to pharmaceutical company, but all offer help with getting reimbursement coverage from the person’s public or private insurer, information and education resources, nursing support (for things like self-injection training) and even financial assistance in dire emergencies.
The patient support programs can also help people navigate the medication reimbursement process, including:
- pre-authorization requirements for prescription medications
- financial assistance
- generic substitution
- biosimilar switching
- appeals process if medication reimbursement coverage is declined
- insurance plan limitations or exclusions
- specialist referrals
- medication management support (training on how to take the medication, for example, injection training)
- care coordination (interacting with different health care providers, managing appointments and treatments)
- disease management programs (access to specialized nurses, nutritionists)
- educational resources and counseling services (diet, exercise, mental health)
- health and wellness plans for arthritis
- virtual care services (online meetings with health care professionals)
- digital health tools (online platforms and apps to access health records or medication schedules, monitor symptoms)
Originator biologic DMARDs (boDMARDs)
| Medication | Patient support program name | Link |
| abatacept (Orencia®) | ORENCIA On Call Program | link |
| adalimumab (Humira®) | AbbVie Care Support Program | link |
| anakinra (Kineret®) | KINERET On Track™ Patient Support Program | link |
| anifrolumab (Saphnelo®) | Connect 360 Patient Support Program | link |
| belimumab (Benlysta®) | Monarch Patient Support Program | link |
| bimekizumab (Bimzelx®) | UCBCares® patient support program | link |
| canakinumab (Ilaris®) | Ilaris Companion | link |
| certolizumab pegol (Cimzia®) | UCBCares® patient support program | link |
| denosumab (Prolia®) | Amgen ProVital Program | link |
| etanercept (Enbrel®) | Amgen Enliven® Services | link |
| golimumab (Simponi®) | Janssen BioAdvance® program | link |
| guselkumab (Tremfya®) | Janssen BioAdvance® program | link |
| infliximab (Remicade®) | Janssen BioAdvance® program | link |
| ixekizumab (Taltz®) | LillyPlus® program | link |
| rituximab (Rituxan®) | Roche OnCare™ | link |
| romosozumab (Evenity®) | Amgen ProVital Program | link |
| sarilumab (Kevzara®) | Sanofi Mobilize | link |
| secukinumab (Cosentyx®) | Novartis XPOSE® program | link |
| tocilizumab (Actemra®) | Roche JointEffort® | link |
| ustekinumab (Stelara®) | Janssen BioAdvance® program | link |
Biosimilar biologic DMARDs (bsDMARDs)
| Medication | Patient support program name | Link |
| adalimumab (Abrilada®) | PfizerFlex Patient Support Program | link |
| adalimumab (Amgevita®) | Amgen Entrust™ Patient Support Services | link |
| adalimumab (Hadlima®) | HARMONY BY ORGANON™ Patient Support Program | link |
| adalimumab (Hulio®) | Biocon Patient Support Program | link |
| adalimumab (Hyrimoz®) | SANDOZ Patient Support Program | link |
| adalimumab (Idacio®) | KabiCare® Patient Support Program | link |
| adalimumab (Simlandi®) | JAMP Care™ patient support program | link |
| adalimumab (Yuflyma®) | Celltrion CONNECT™ Patient Support Program | link |
| etanercept (Brenzys®) | HARMONY BY ORGANON™ Patient Support Program | link |
| etanercept (Erelzi®) | SANDOZ Patient Support Program | link |
| etanercept (Rymti®) | Lupin Pharma Canada | link |
| infliximab (Avsola®) | Amgen Enliven® Services | link |
| infliximab (Inflectra®) | PfizerFlex Patient Support Program | link |
| infliximab (Renflexis®) | HARMONY BY ORGANON™ Patient Support Program | link |
| infliximab (Remsima®) | Celltrion CONNECT™ Patient Support Program | link |
| rituximab (Riabni®) | Amgen Entrust™ Patient Support Services | link |
| rituximab (Riximyo®) | SANDOZ Patient Support Program | link |
| rituximab (Rituxan®) | Roche JointEffort® | link |
| rituximab (Ruxience®) | PfizerFlex Patient Support Program | link |
| rituximab (Truxima®) | Truxima Teva Support Solutions® | link |
| ustekinumab (Jamteki®) | JAMP Care™ patient support program | link |
| ustekinumab (Wezlana®) | Wezlana® Enliven® Services | link |
Targated synthetic DMARDs (tsDMARDs)
| Medication | Patient support program name | Link |
| tofacitinib (Xeljanz®) | PfizerFlex Patient Support Program | link |
| baricitinib (Olumiant®) | LillyPlus® program | link |
| upadacitinib (Rinvoq®) | AbbVie Care Support Program | link |
| apremilast (Otezla®) | ez Start Patient Support Program | link |
Learn more
The information ACE is presenting on medication treatments is not intended to suggest a course of treatment. It is for information only.
If you are a person living with arthritis, there are several sources for information about arthritis medication treatments. A rheumatologist or pharmacist will have valuable information about different medicines and advanced therapies. Always speak to your doctor before starting or stopping a medication. You should also look for additional evidence-based information from your provincial drug plan or private health insurer, or patient support program.
Arthritis Consumer Experts
ACE thanks Arthritis Research Canada (ARC) for its scientific review of ACE and JointHealth™ information and education programs.