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Arthritis Society Supports Pharmacare Model that Puts Patients First

The Arthritis Society acknowledges the release of today's interim report from the Advisory Council for the Implementation of National Pharmacare and urges the government to adopt a model that expands patient access to medicines while ensuring choice to medically necessary pharmaceuticals is not restricted.  

“The work of Dr Eric Hoskins and the Advisory Council is welcomed and the hard decisions concerning a detailed model must be guided by what matters most to patients,” said Janet Yale, President and CEO, The Arthritis Society. “We need a national pharmacare model that is flexible, yet addresses financial hardship for those who cannot afford the treatments they need when they need them.”

Ensuring wide choice will not only lead to improved health outcomes, but also increased health system efficiencies, as medicines become more precise and better able to target patients who will most likely benefit from the treatments. We need to ensure that whatever pharmacare approach we ultimately decide to take, access to promising new therapies, like biologics or more targeted therapies, is not hindered through an overly restrictive formulary. “ We are looking for equitable access, not a race to the bottom,“ said Yale.

About the Arthritis Society

The Arthritis Society is a national health charity, fueled by donors and volunteers, with a vision to live in a world where people are free from the devastating effects that arthritis has on lives. Begun in 1948 with one very clear goal – to alleviate the suffering of people crippled by arthritis – that same volunteer-led passion carries on today in communities across Canada. Through the trust and support of our donors and sponsors, the Arthritis Society is Canada’s largest charitable source of investments in cutting-edge arthritis research, proactive advocacy and innovative solutions that will deliver better health outcomes for people affected by arthritis. The Arthritis Society is accredited under Imagine Canada’s Standards Program. For more information and to make a donation, visit arthritis.ca.

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For further information or to arrange an interview, please contact:

Alicia D'Aguiar
tel: 416-979-7228 ext. 3354
cell: 647.883.2477
email: adaguiar@arthritis.ca

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