The Guardian
The Arthritis Society is asking Islanders to make arthritis issues a priority during this election campaign to ensure the next government takes action.
P.E.I.’s Healthy Living Strategy has failed to address chronic disease management, says Rosie Keough, Arthritis Society board member.
“Despite being the greatest cause of long-term disability, arthritis is continually ignored. This is an amazing oversight when you consider that over one-in-five Islanders has arthritis,” Keough said.
Islander Mildred Gamble lives with Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS), a form of arthritis. Her doctor has attempted to treat her disease with drugs that are currently available on the P.E.I. public insurance plan, with little success.
In a news release, the Arthritis Society says that Gamble’s doctor would like her to try Humira, a biologic response modifier that has slowed and even stopped the progression of arthritis in other patients. While Humira will soon be available for people living with Rheumatoid Arthritis, Gamble will still not be eligible to receive it, as it will not be indicated on the P.E.I. Drug Formulary for AS.
“With no private drug plan, Mildred is relegated to continue using less effective drugs that are covered,” the Arthritis Society release says.
The society says P.E.I.’s drug plan is lagging behind other provinces.
It says it takes 44 months for a biologic medication for Rheumatoid Arthritis to be listed on the P.E.I. provincial formulary after approval by Health Canada. In other provinces the wait is as little as 10 months.
The society says P.E.I. is the only province currently not covering Celebrex.
It says Enbrel has not been approved for psoriatic arthritis in P.E.I.
The Arthritis Society recently surveyed the political parties about three major concerns: access to (and affordability of) medications, wait times for joint replacement surgery, and the need for another rheumatologist on the Island.
For full responses please see the the article
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