BSR expresses disappointment over denial of biologic coverage for moderate RA

The British Society for Rheumatology announced that the organization is disappointed by the recent decision by the National Institute for Health & Care Excellence to limit support only to patients with severe disease and exclude support for biologic treatments to patients with moderate disease.

“Great strides have been made by clinicians over recent years through the availability of these effective drug treatments for many patients,” Simon Bowman, BSc, MBBS, PhD, FRCP, president of the British Society for Rheumatology (BSR), said in a press release. “However, the clinical community remains frustrated that, in this country, we still fall behind, particularly other European countries, even though there is good evidence to support prescribing biologic drugs for those with moderate disease.”

In the release, the BSR expressed support for biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) for severe disease, but said patients with moderate rheumatoid arthritis (RA), “experience the same painful and debilitating symptoms of RA” as patients with severe disease and suggested that patients with moderate disease would benefit over time.

“Access to appropriate treatment at the right time would drastically reduce the long term impact of disease on these people enabling them to live fuller and more independent lives,” the organization .

Reference: www.rheumatology.org.uk.