Giving Patients Control:
Information is Empowering

Together with Dragon Claw, an Australian charity for people with Autoimmune Inflammatory diseases, we have developed a new resource for people with arthritis called “Know your Numbers”. This new resource outlines a list of blood tests and other health checks to be monitored in people with autoimmune arthritis. We will discuss this new resource at a YouTube live event on Saturday, May 20 at 11 a.m. EDT as we celebrate World Autoimmune Arthritis Day with the International Foundation for AiArthritis.  Read the English and French resources on our website! 

What have we been up to?

Drug policy submissions – As a member of the Best Medicines Coalition, we actively contributed to a submission to the Standing Committee on Health relating to the review of the Patented Medicines and Pricing Review Board and Health Canada’s consultation on Agile Licensing Regulations. We also submitted a response to the reimbursement recommendation for Upadacitinib (Rinvoq) for Ankylosing Spondylitis which you can read on our website.

COVID-19 poll – Take this quick poll so we can learn more about what precautions you are taking and what your COVID-19 action plan and experience looks like. We developed this international poll with Global Healthy Living Foundation and Creaky Joints Australia. 

CAPA is on the road! Many people in our community attended the Canadian Pain Society (CPS) Annual Scientific Meeting and Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) Symposium where they presented about patient engagement, chronic pain as a national health priority, and accessible healthcare for people with disabilities. (pictured from left to right: Dawn Richards, Therese Lane, Linda Wilhelm, Laurie Proulx)

Get Involved!

Occupational therapy priorities – The Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT) is identifying occupational therapy research priorities for people living with musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions and arthritis. They are looking for people with MSK conditions and arthritis to complete a second survey to share their views – consider taking the survey today! 

Augmented reality study – Researchers at Queen’s University want to identify important components and features that should be included in a new in-home augmented reality rehabilitation tool for people with a total joint replacement. If you have had a total joint replacement, read more about this study on our website!

Register for our June 1st webinar! Many people that live with arthritis understand the invisible or hidden parts of living with the disease like pain that limits shopping and other activities of daily living. Please join us on Thursday, June 1 at 7 PM ET as Dr. Dorothy Riddle, founder of the Hidden Mobility Disabilities Alliance (HMDA) speaks about the topic – register today! 

Stay Informed

Online learning about biosimilar medications – A new course is now available for patients and caregivers about biologic and biosimilar medications. You can register for this free, online course at any time. 

National Disability Inclusion conference – Employment and Social Development Canada are hosting the second annual conference on Disability Inclusion from May 24 -26 to showcase some of Canada’s most prominent disability and accessibility advocates. A career fair for people with disabilities will be held on May 26th. 

International Clinical Trials Day – May 20th is International Clinical Trials Day and it’s a day to get informed and #TalkClinicalTrials. Watch this short video to learn more about clinical trials and read the resources on our website developed by Clinical Trials Ontario.