JointHealth™ express July 14, 2008
Great news for people in Saskatchewan living with ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis: infliximab (Remicade®) has been added to the provincial medication reimbursement plan for the treatment of these two potentially devastating forms of inflammatory arthritis.
In November 2007, ACE held a press conference in Regina, drawing attention to the critical issue of medication reimbursement in Saskatchewan. At that time, the Saskatchewan medication reimbursement plan had no biologic medications listed for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis or psoriatic arthritis. Since November, the government of Saskatchewan has listed every approved medication for the treatment of these diseases.
Over the past seven months, countless individuals and organizations across the country have written letters to the Saskatchewan government, urging them to list all approved medications for ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis. This final listing shows that the voice of arthritis has truly been heard.
With this listing, Saskatchewan becomes the second province in the country to provide reimbursement coverage for every medication approved to treat the three most common types of inflammatory arthritis: rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and psoriatic arthritis. Quebec is the only other province to list all approved medications for these indications.
Arthritis Consumer Experts congratulates the government of Saskatchewan for offering physicians and patients the tools they need to treat inflammatory forms of arthritis.
Great news for people in Saskatchewan living with ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis: infliximab (Remicade®) has been added to the provincial medication reimbursement plan for the treatment of these two potentially devastating forms of inflammatory arthritis.
In November 2007, ACE held a press conference in Regina, drawing attention to the critical issue of medication reimbursement in Saskatchewan. At that time, the Saskatchewan medication reimbursement plan had no biologic medications listed for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis or psoriatic arthritis. Since November, the government of Saskatchewan has listed every approved medication for the treatment of these diseases.
Over the past seven months, countless individuals and organizations across the country have written letters to the Saskatchewan government, urging them to list all approved medications for ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis. This final listing shows that the voice of arthritis has truly been heard.
With this listing, Saskatchewan becomes the second province in the country to provide reimbursement coverage for every medication approved to treat the three most common types of inflammatory arthritis: rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and psoriatic arthritis. Quebec is the only other province to list all approved medications for these indications.
Arthritis Consumer Experts congratulates the government of Saskatchewan for offering physicians and patients the tools they need to treat inflammatory forms of arthritis.
Arthritis Consumer Experts
ACE thanks Arthritis Research Canada (ARC) for its scientific review of ACE and JointHealth™ information and education programs.