The Canadian Arthritis Patient Alliance (CAPA) is a grass-roots independent, national education and advocacy organization with over 800 active members and supporters across the country. CAPA members bring their experience, perspective and voice to improve the quality of life of all people living with arthritis.

CAPA is in full support of the incorporation of the Alliance for the Canadian Arthritis Program (ACAP) and of the proposed ACAP bylaws of incorporation. CAPA believes:

• Incorporation will allow ACAP to enter a contractual agreement with the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) to facilitate the development of a National Arthritis Framework.
• Incorporation will protect ACAP’s directors, members, and legal and business interests.
• Incorporation will satisfy the needs of industry sponsors who are reluctant to provide funding to an entity that is without legal status.

CAPA also supports the continued egalitarian representation of all sectors of the arthritis community in the activities and governance of ACAP. We believe this allows for the best representation of needs and identification of issues, and encourages all member organizations and individuals to contribute their strengths and abilities to further ACAP efforts toward projects such as the implementation of a National Arthritis Framework.

CAPA is in full support of the development of a National Arthritis Framework, and believes:

• A National Arthritis Framework will build on the Standards of Prevention and Care identified at the ACAP Summit – Ottawa, 2005.
• National Arthritis Framework will improve the quality of life of all Canadians living with arthritis, reduce the social and economic burden of arthritis and ensure a future where arthritis related disability and morbidity are diminished.

Background: Alliance for Canadian Arthritis Program (ACAP)

The ACAP began in 2002 with CAPA as a founding member. The ACAP brings together twenty arthritis stakeholder organizations to support individuals living with arthritis. Since 2003, ACAP members have contributed expertise and resources to collectively find new solutions to the challenges patients face everyday.

The ACAP Summit, held in Ottawa in 2005, identified twelve standards for prevention, care and treatment of arthritis, and an action plan to gain federal government commitment to a National Arthritis Framework.

The ACAP Steering Committee, in October 2007, voted overwhelmingly – with one abstention – to incorporate to protect its members and directors from liability, to satisfy Intellectual Property ownership and data disposition, and to enable partnership with Health Canada (Public Health Agency of Canada) for the development of a National Arthritis Framework.

The ACAP Steering Committee enabled the development of a Business Case in August 2008 that will further the development of a National Arthritis Framework.

The ACAP supported National Arthritis Framework will build on identified priority goals, strategic directions, and the roles and resources required to effectively reduce the burden of arthritis in Canada, and will enable the realization of the benefits defined in the Business Case.