Patients with psoriasis call on Canada to become serious

The report, Pso Serious 2018: Report on access to care and treatment of patients with psoriasis in Canada, highlights the changes made to the care and treatment environment of patients with psoriasis Canada in the last four years. Although the number of available treatments has increased, there is still work to be done to ensure equitable access to these treatments and to skin care in Canada, particularly in rural and remote areas of the country.

Psoriasis has an impact beyond the skin
Psoriasis is a chronic debilitating disease that affects more than one million Canadians of all ages and about 125 million people worldwide. There is currently no permanent cure for psoriasis and patients may experience recurrent symptoms throughout their lives.^I Psoriasis is also badociated with an increased risk of developing other chronic systemic diseases, including heart attacks and strokes, diabetes, cancer and liver disease.ⁱⁱ

"What many people do not know is that in addition to its physical manifestations, psoriasis can have a significant impact on the psychological health of psoriasis patients and their families," he said. Kathryn Andrews-Clay, Executive Director of CAPP. "People with psoriasis have an increased risk of depression, anxiety and suicide – that's why access to care and effective treatment is so important to their overall well-being. "

Significant obstacles affect the quality of life
The report revealed significant hurdles to the three things essential for the development of psoriasis patients: access to phototherapy, dermatologists and a choice of treatment:

• Phototherapy is an effective and inexpensive form of psoriasis treatment. However, many patients have to make long trips to the nearest phototherapy unit because of the number of clinics available. Canada is decreasing.
• Although the number of dermatologists in Canada has remained stable, waiting times are considerably longer than the five-week reference period for non-urgent consultations. A survey conducted in 2017 showed that wait times reported by patients averaged 1 to 3 months for 47% of respondents, followed by 20% between 4 and 6 months. More than 13% took between 7 and 16 months for their first appointment.
• Access to a treatment choice is crucial for patients with psoriasis because they tend to develop a tolerance to medication, which requires a change of medication. Despite the fact that the number of approved treatments available in the country has increased, Canadaall patients do not have access due to costs and lack of private and / or public coverage.

With the results of this report, CAPP will advocate for better access to care and treatment, including phototherapy, for patients with psoriasis. All patients interested in sharing their stories and advocating for their interests are invited to visit www.PSOSerious.ca.

The full report can be found on the CPPA website.
http://www.canadianpsoriasis.ca/images/CAPPreportOctober27finalclean.pdf

About the Canadian Psoriasis Patients Association

The Canadian Psoriasis Patients Association (CAPP) is a national, not-for-profit organization dedicated to being a resource and advocating on behalf of psoriasis patients and their families to improve patient care. and their quality of life. CAPP's vision is to ensure equal access to the best care and treatment for all patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, while its mission is to provide a resource for psoriatic patients and their families to advocate for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. to improve patient care and quality of life.

SOURCE Canadian Association of Psoriasis Patients

For more information: Morgan Cates, [email protected], 416-413-4649