Coffee for CAPA Fundraiser is Back!

Support CAPA by purchasing delicious coffee! We have partnered again with Sparkplug Coffee to offer a range of specialized coffee blends and chocolate covered coffee beans (they’re delicious!). Sparkplug Coffee will donate 20% of the sales to CAPA so we can continue to educate and advocate for the needs of people with arthritis. If you are not interested in buying coffee then please consider making a donation directly to CAPA.

Learn more about all of the coffee options and donation process on the CAPA website! 

What have we been up to?

We’re at Canada’s Drug Agency Symposium! We are pleased to be presenting a poster about our survey about Patient Support Programs (PSPs). The poster and an upcoming webinar highlights patient experiences accessing these programs. CAPA’s Managing Director, Laurie Proulx, will be available to answer questions about the poster at the welcome reception of Canada’s Drug Agency Symposium on September 4, 2024. You can view all of the survey findings on the CAPA website.

Sharing Patient Perspectives with Policy Makers – A core part of our mission is to share the patient perspective and needs with policy makers. Together with Arthritis Society Canada, we provided a formal policy submission about the cannabis regulations. We also worked with a many patient organizations to share the patient perspective about the need to access Tofacitinib (Xeljanz) with British Columbia Pharmacare.

Share New Project or Topic Ideas! We are starting our annual planning process and are looking for any project or topic ideas from the CAPA community. Have any ideas for policy or topics that deserve attention? Reach out to our Director by email to let us know. 

Back to School Virtual Drop-In with Mariah Leach – The summer holidays are over and getting back to routines and schedules can be challenging for parents, especially those living with chronic illness. On September 10th at 6:00 pm EDT, join us for an informal conversation with Mariah Leach, founder of Mamas Facing Forward, as she discusses strategies for parents with chronic illness like arthritis. Don’t delay – register today to learn some practical tips about parenting with arthritis and other chronic illnesses!

Get Involved!

Register now for a patient-led conference on patient engagement in research – The PxP (For Patients, By Patients) 2024 conference will be September 10-12 (for those in Europe, Africa or North, Central and South America), or September 11-13 (Asia and Oceania). This free, virtual event aims to bring you resources, mentorship and community with patient partners and others involved in health research. Ultimately, our goal is partnering to make research stronger. Registration is now open!

Stay Informed

Abatacept (Orencia) Shortage – We have been informed that the limited supply issues for Abatacept (Orencia) shortage (the 125 mg x 4 subcutaneous injections) should be resolved by the end of September.  Bristol Myers Squibb has been proactively managing the supply disruption by limiting renewals to a 30-day supply. Health Canada has granted permission to import medication from other countries. The label may look different but it is the same medication. If you experience any issues with your prescription you can contact your Orencia Response Program person who will be able to assist you.

Educational Webinar Recordings Available – We typically record all of our webinars so you can still learn and enjoy the content if you didn’t attend. Learn more about medical cannabis, clinical trials, and access our Pain Talks Series which features many people living with arthritis. Don’t forget to follow us on social media, like Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube to access all of our educational content!