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Newfoundland and Labrador 2019 provincial election

Arthritis is one word that describes more than 100 disease types and affects one in five Newfoundland and Labrador residents. Within a generation, more than one in four residents is expected to have the most disabling and life-threatening types – osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

A provincial election will be held in Newfoundland and Labrador on May 16, 2019. Arthritis Consumer Experts (ACE) advocates that arthritis, a disease affecting more than 115,000 Newfoundland and Labrador residents, should be an issue of great importance to candidates running for office.

ACE sent an open letter and a survey to candidates running in the Newfoundland and Labrador election. As part of its core government outreach activities and in the spirit of non-partisanship, ACE outlines the impact of arthritis in Newfoundland and Labrador and asks each candidate to share how government can improve prevention, treatment and care in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Any responses received by ACE will be archived and posted as they arrive.

ACE survey and party responses

ACE letter sent to each candidate included: Party responses to survey Individual Candidate Responses
Questions Voiced by the Public and Patients with Arthritis
  • Will you establish better prevention programs and facilitate flexible work arrangements to help reduce the direct and indirect costs of arthritis to Newfoundland and Labrador employers and the Newfoundland and Labrador economy?
  • What will your government do to improve the healthcare and lives of Aboriginals living with arthritis in Newfoundland and Labrador?
  • Will you consider arthritis a health priority for Newfoundland and Labrador and implement high quality, standardized evidence-based models of arthritis care for all Newfoundland and Labrador residents?
  • How will you improve reimbursement access for medications approved for inflammatory arthritis?
  • Will you take steps to increase the number of rheumatologists and trained arthritis professionals to ensure timely, specialized care for Newfoundland and Labrador patients with arthritis?
  • How will you improve the speed in which people living with arthritis receive healthcare?
Any questions received by ACE will be posted anonymously.

Helpful Resources Official Party Websites