Biologic medications were introduced in Canada in the early 2000s and have revolutionized the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by specifically targeting components of the immune system that cause inflammation and joint damage. Long-time CAPA members Linda...
On October 15th, 2025, CAPA hosted The Patient Room: Chat and Learn for Patient Partners webinar. Participants were invited to join Therese Lane and Linda Wilhelm for a candid Q&A about lived experience in research and policy—where they started, where they are...
Did you know that your elected representatives have a mandate to hear from and meet with you as their constituent? Every elected official’s office has hours during which they talk and meet with people. This is your opportunity to have your voice heard as someone who...
CAPA welcomed the opportunity to provide feedback on the draft guidance for biosimilar biologic drugs to ensure patient perspectives are reflected in treatment policy.
In 2014, the Arthritis Alliance of Canada (AAC), a former nationwide coalition of more than thirty-five groups including people living with arthritis, health care professionals, researchers, funding agencies, government, voluntary sector agencies and industry...
We would like to thank all participants of the CAPA Webinar on Disability Tax Credit (DTC) that was hosted by the Canada Revenue Agency representatives on Saturday, October 24, 2020. Participants were able to learn about eligibility criteria and how to apply for these...
Bill C-17 amends the Food and Drugs Act, which hasn’t been substantially updated in over 50 years. It was introduced to the House of Commons by the Minister of Health in December 2013. The Bill has two main goals: Strengthen safety oversight of therapeutic...
Pain is the hallmark symptom of the various forms of arthritis. We've been involved in advocating on issues relating to arthritis pain, such as the federal action plan on opioids and the Chronic Pain Research Network. Health Canada information about Opioids Letter to...
Given that more information is now available regarding biosimilars, CAPA has updated its biosimilar position paper as of September 2019.
Medical cannabis is an important topic for people living with arthritis who are looking for ways to relieve their pain. The CAPA’s position statement is now available. You can also learn more about medical cannabis through the information provided on the Arthritis...
The effort to create this Arthritis Patient Charter, once again has been a truly grassroots one, with all groups in the arthritis community working together under CAPA’s leadership. The landscape of arthritis and healthcare continue to change and evolve, and to...
CAPA submitted feedback to the Public Health Agency of Canada on the draft implementation plan for the Renewal of the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care, reflecting lived experience perspectives. CAPA welcomes opportunities to engage in future stages of the Task Force renewal process.
The Canadian Arthritis Patient Alliance (CAPA) wrote a letter to the current Minister of Health Marjorie Michel regarding the importance of reintroducing federal legislation on health data interoperability, modeled on the former Bill C-72 (Connected Care for Canadians...
The arthritis community have come together to submit a joint letter to Premier Legault and Minister Dubé on urgent Concerns over threats to accessible healthcare in Quebec. The letter urges the Government of Quebec to pause Bill 2, warning that it threatens the...
Canadian Arthritis Patient Alliance (CAPA) advocates for a coordinated, inclusive national approach that prioritizes fairness, equity, and meaningful patient involvement at every step. This letter highlights that ENP and TNP only address a narrow part of the broader...
Arthritis Society Canada, Canadian Arthritis Patient Alliance, Canadian Spondyloarthritis Association, Psoriasis Canada, and the British Columbia Society of Rheumatologists have come together to submit a joint letter to the BC Ministry of Health. The letter highlights...
CAPA has written to Deputy Premier and Minister of Health of Ontario and other provinces, calling on the provinces to close the gaps related to availability of the for publicly funded vaccines for people living with autoimmune arthritis.
The Arthritis Community — representing over 20 national organizations — has sent a joint letter to Canada’s new Minister of Health, the Honourable Marjorie Michel, urging immediate national action on arthritis. With over 6 million people affected, arthritis is the most common chronic disease in Canada, yet remains underrecognized in policy, research, and health system planning.
CAPA sent a letter to three major federal candidates urging urgent action on pharmaceutical supply issues. It’s time for federal leaders to safeguard our health and ensure reliable drug availability. Read more in the full letter.
Together with Arthritis Society Canada, we shared the perspective of people living with arthritis with Health Canada as it relates to regulations about cannabis. Our response was informed by our work over the years, including the Medical Cannabis Position Paper, and...
Together with other stakeholders, CAPA contributed to writing a letter to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) on broader access to diverse COVID-19 vaccine options for Canadians. Read a full letter.
In 2025, we established the Francophone Education and Resources Support Advisory Committee, comprised of five French-speaking individuals living with arthritis. Together, the committee developed an action plan to strengthen education, resources, and care for...
We launched a survey to understand the experiences of people living with rheumatic disease with Patient Support Programs (PSPs). PSPs were introduced in the early 2000s when biologics came onto the market to support health care providers monitor patients taking these medications. The services also help patients navigate the complexity of getting high-cost medications reimbursed and understand how to administer the medication(s).
By: Anna Samson Imagine being in constant pain as a teenager and after years of being in pain and going to doctors, you finally get diagnosed with arthritis. Unfortunately, many people don’t believe you because they think it’s a condition that only affects the...
Prolonged fevers, rashes, chronic inflammation, joint pain and swelling, and chronic fatigue; these are just a few of the symptoms that can affect patients living with rare autoinflammatory conditions. Some of these diseases occur soon after birth and can develop...
CAPA Vice-President, Laurie Proulx, presented the patient perspective at a regional consultation for the National Pain Taskforce. You can also write to your Federal Minister of Health to express your support for this government priority by using a letter template we...
CAPA Vice-President, Dr. Dawn Richards, presented a poster entitled “Healthcare Transformation: The Other Story: The Needs of People who Live with Chronic Pain” at the 2019 CADTH Symposium in Edmonton, April 14-16. The poster summarized the...
CAPA is a proud partner of the Choosing Wisely Canada (CWC) campaign and its members worked with the Canadian Rheumatology Association on its CWC efforts. The purpose of CWC is to identify unnecessary tests, treatments or procedures, and to help patients and...
The Canada's Drug Agency (CDA, former CADTH) is an independent, not for profit agency that is funded by Canada’s federal, provincial, and territorial governments, and which provides evidence-based information to health care leaders and policy makers about the...
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