Inequality of patient access across Europe to innovative treatments for rheumatoid arthritis continues

European patients still face inequalities in access to the majority of innovative biologics treatments for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Speed and levels of access depend on where patients live, says a new report published October 12. The proportion of patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis who are treated with biologics can range from 30% in Norway to less than 1% in Bulgaria.

'It is particularly appropriate that this report is published today, on World Arthritis Day,' commented Brian Ager, director general of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA). 'It helps shed light on the reasons why patients face these inequalities in access to RA treatments. We hope it will stimulate discussions on how we achieve the optimal use of new technologies and treatment for all patients,' he added.

The report shows that new treatments, despite being shown to be extremely effective, are not used to their full potential. 'There are many factors explaining differences in uptake of innovative treatments,' said Gisela Kobelt, President of European Health Economics, France, and researcher at the Department of Orthopedics at Lund University, Sweden, the report's lead researcher. 'One of the most important of them is insufficient consideration being given to societal costs in authorities' public health strategies, despite these representing more than half of all disease cost, she noted.'