“No to the change of therapies against rheumatological diseases for purely economic reasons. THE
savings cannot be obtained on the skin of patients who are affected by severe, painful and pathologies
sometimes extremely disabling “. This is what was reiterated yesterday by ANMAR Onlus (National Association
Rheumatic patients) during the live Facebook “Rheumatology patients at the time of Covid”, made
thanks to the unconditional contribution of Bristol Myers Squibb. On this occasion a
new document drawn up by the Italian Society of Rheumatology together with seven other societies
Italian scientists about two recent resolutions of the North-West Tuscany USL and the Region
Lazio. The document strongly emphasizes the right of the specialist doctor to prescribe to the patient
the therapy he deems best according to the logic of personalized medicine.
“We applaud the excellent initiative of the specialists who, like us, patient representatives, are opposed to the variation
automatic use of some drugs used against some rheumatological diseases according to logic
exclusively economic – said Silvia Tonolo, President of ANMAR Onlus.
In fact, the association notes that councilors or even individual local health authorities are pushing the
prescribers to switch and then to switch from an originator biological drug to a biosimilar.
Not only that: now even the multiple switch is often imposed to get to the use of another
slightly lower cost biosimilar. “It is a battle that as ANMAR we are carrying out
throughout Italy for over five years. These changes in treatment plans are dictated only by reasons of
economic nature and not from a real medical need ”, continued Tonolo. “Although there is no doubt
that the introduction of biosimilar drugs, used in rheumatology as well as in other branches of
medicine, has led to a large global reduction in the costs of biotechnological agents – he added
Roberto Gerli, National President of SIR -, the prescription of such drugs, now more and more
numerous and different in efficacy, safety, mode of administration and mechanism of action, must
necessarily follow international recommendations that are then applied to the individual patient “.
“In about 20% of cases the switch leads to a relapse of the most serious and dangerous forms of arthritis – ha
underlined Mauro Galeazzi, Scientific Head of the Understanding Observatory -. The savings for the
coffers of the various Regions and Health Authorities are thus nullified by the increase in costs in terms of
new hospitalizations, therapies, check-ups and diagnostic tests. In addition, the resources set aside, from
resorting to cheaper drugs, they have almost never been reinvested in rheumatology. To the patient
the best possible therapy must always be guaranteed, that is, the one that can give him the greatest benefits and not the
less burdensome for public finances “.
“Rheumatological patients are still experiencing difficulties caused by Covid-19 which they have in part
ordinary health care has been compromised, especially in the first months of the pandemic – concludes Silvia
Tonolo-. We therefore hope that the Italian Medicines Agency, the Ministry of Health and all
local institutions accept the requests of patients and specialists to always ensure the
continuity of care “.
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