ACR Releases New Position Statements on Drug Prices and Staged Therapy

The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) has issued new position statements on the price of drugs and progressive therapy that they hope lawmakers will take into consideration when they continue to explore policy options. and regulations to make medicines more affordable and more accessible.

"We continue to focus on these topics because they are so vital to the well-being of millions of Americans with rheumatic diseases, some of which can be very debilitating and even cause death," he said. Colin Edgerton, MD, Rheumatologist at Low Rheumatology by Country in South Carolina and Chair of the ACR Rheumatology Committee. "The need for patients to have access to fast, affordable and medically necessary treatments is ongoing and should be taken into account at every stage of the policy-making process."

To make medicines more affordable for patients, the CAB recommends:

• Transparency in the policies followed by pharmaceutical manufacturers, pharmaceutical benefit managers and health insurance companies to determine the price of prescription drugs.
• A safe and effective biosimilar route of approval and market that will improve access to treatment by reducing costs.
• Any comprehensive proposal dealing with rising drug prices that addresses these key concerns: cost to the health system, continuity of care, and affordability for patients.

Likewise, the ACR suggests incorporating the following elements to improve access to appropriate treatments:

• Strategies that reduce the cost of expensive therapies and counter the cost savings that compromise quality of care or safe clinical practice.
• The elimination of step therapy, failure policies first, or the ranking of drugs based solely on cost. In addition, the non-medical substitution between branded products and among the therapeutic clbades, in a medically stable patient, solely to save money and without the consent of the patient and his provider, is inappropriate and potentially dangerous to the health of the patient.
• Pharmacy review committees, made up of rheumatologists, help develop benefit programs on the form. The CAB welcomes the opportunity to provide expertise in the treatment of rheumatism to insurers.

Step-by-step treatment and drug prices are highlighted in the ACR's Rheumatic Disease Tracker, which shows how easy it is to live with rheumatic disease in every state. The newsletter highlights the adequate access to rheumatological care, affordability of rheumatic disease care and healthy lifestyle habits that relieve the burden of rheumatic disease.

The CAB remains steadfast in supporting legislation that keeps drug prices reasonable for those who need them most, while protecting patients' access to the necessary treatments that enable more than 54 million Americans with rheumatic diseases to live well.