Celebrate with Us!
September is #ArthritisAwarenessMonth and we have a lot of fun activities planned! We will be hosting a fashion show with Creaky Joints and holding our first-ever Instagram live with blogger and advocate, Lene Andersen at the helm and guests Take a Pain Check. As a final surprise, we will be releasing the results of the sexual and reproductive health survey. Save these dates and celebrate with us!
What have we been up to?
Drug Pricing Changes delayed – We are a member of the Best Medicines Coalition where we have voiced the patient perspective regarding the impact of the proposed drug pricing changes on patients. We have been regularly contributing to BMC submissions as a member of the working group. The Patented Medicines and Pricing Review Board’s proposed changes have been delayed until January 1, 2022, and we have voiced that patient perspectives should play an integral part of monitoring the impact of changes on patients.
Virtual care statement – Virtual care has been an important way of accessing health care during the pandemic yet more work is needed to understand how to implement it. CAPA Board members, Therese Lane and Linda Wilhelm, participated in the development of a virtual care statement by the Canadian Rheumatology Association.
Journal editors making room for patients as authors – CAPA Vice-President, Laurie Proulx, was interviewed by Nature Index about her involvement with a study about academic journal editors perceptions of patients as authors on publications. Read the article including how there is still more to be done to make patient partners and their expertise recognized as an important part of the scientific process!
Preview of report results! We did an extensive survey on sexual and reproductive health in collaboration with other patient groups and we will be sharing results during #ArthritisAwarenessMonth. Did you know that 63% of survey participants said they can discuss sexual health with their health care provider, but less than half felt comfortable doing so? Watch for more snippets of the report over the coming weeks!
Get Involved!
Crowdsourcing with patient partners on social media – CAPA Vice-President, Dawn Richards, wrote a blog post about her experiences crowdsourcing an infographic to help patient partners submit conference abstracts. This means that patient partners can develop their own abstracts for the upcoming Canadian Arthritis Research Conference. Check it out and think about how you can contribute to the conference!
Take action to #PrioritizePain this election! Canada’s 2021 federal election is a critical time to raise awareness of chronic pain and ask candidates to make a commitment to #PrioritizePain. You can write your local candidates through e-mail or social media using the templates provided in this website. Do your part to #PrioritizePain in this federal election!
Share your views in priorities for patient-oriented research! The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is soliciting ideas from the health research community on future priorities for patient-oriented research. They are looking for your views on the areas of focus over the next five years using a survey. Shape the future priorities and share your views today!
Stay Informed!
Now available: French version of parenting resources! We worked hard to update our pregnancy and parenting resources together with Mamas Facing Forward with new tips and information important to people contemplating pregnancy, or managing day to day with arthritis and parenting. We are pleased to announce that the French versions of the parenting resources are now available – visit our website to access them!
Bilingual webinar about biologics! – Cassie & Friends will be offering a webinar about biologics with presentations by pediatric Rheumatologist, Dr. Lori Tucker, and patient Julie Beau. You will learn what biologic treatments are, when doctors might recommend that a child take a biologic treatment and get first-hand advice about starting and self-administering biologics. Get informed about the options for your child and register today!
Website and social media updates – We are regularly updating our website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube channel with new information. Don’t forget to follow us on these social media channels to keep up to date on the latest arthritis and advocacy information!