JointHealth™ express December 13, 2010
More good news for those living with inflammatory forms of arthritis
BC PharmaCare has just recently announced an addition to the formulary and will now reimburse the cost of golimumab (Simponi®) for use in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), and psoriatic arthritis (PsA).
This is great news for British Columbians living with these forms of inflammatory arthritis. Since every patient responds differently to disease suppressing or disease modifying medications, the more treatment options there are, the better.
Golimumab is a biologic response modifier that targets the TNF-alpha molecule (also referred to as a TNF-blocker). Golimumab, given by an easy self-injection every 4 weeks, is used to treat people with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and psoriatic arthritis who have had no response or an inadequate response to traditional therapies, such as disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), like methotrexate alone or in combination with other DMARDs.
Currently, golimumab is listed on all provincial formularies, except for Saskatchewan, PEI, Manitoba, and the Yukon. Arthritis Consumer Experts (ACE) is hopeful they will soon follow.
To learn if golimumab or another inflammatory arthritis treatment may be helpful to you, please speak to your rheumatologist or other healthcare provider who is helping you to manage your disease.
Click here to view the Special Authority Request forms for arthritis medications, including golimumab.
More good news for those living with inflammatory forms of arthritis
BC PharmaCare has just recently announced an addition to the formulary and will now reimburse the cost of golimumab (Simponi®) for use in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), and psoriatic arthritis (PsA).
This is great news for British Columbians living with these forms of inflammatory arthritis. Since every patient responds differently to disease suppressing or disease modifying medications, the more treatment options there are, the better.
Golimumab is a biologic response modifier that targets the TNF-alpha molecule (also referred to as a TNF-blocker). Golimumab, given by an easy self-injection every 4 weeks, is used to treat people with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and psoriatic arthritis who have had no response or an inadequate response to traditional therapies, such as disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), like methotrexate alone or in combination with other DMARDs.
Currently, golimumab is listed on all provincial formularies, except for Saskatchewan, PEI, Manitoba, and the Yukon. Arthritis Consumer Experts (ACE) is hopeful they will soon follow.
To learn if golimumab or another inflammatory arthritis treatment may be helpful to you, please speak to your rheumatologist or other healthcare provider who is helping you to manage your disease.
Click here to view the Special Authority Request forms for arthritis medications, including golimumab.
Arthritis Consumer Experts
ACE thanks Arthritis Research Canada (ARC) for its scientific review of ACE and JointHealth™ information and education programs.