At The Table Episode 25: Patients + Doctors = Treatment Decisions ... Right?

This week join your host Tiffany Westrich-Robertson, CEO of International Foundation for AiArthritis, as she discusses the inherent desire of patients to make decisions with their doctors regarding treatment decisions without interference from insurance companies or governing agencies.

AiArthritis previously addressed this issue in the United States by leading the Ethics of Step Therapy investigation and concluded that while cost must be considered to ensure the “bucket” of healthcare funds are rationed appropriately, insurance companies justify choosing those low-cost treatments by citing research that has proven the drug is just as safe and effective as other options, proven usually through clinical trial research. But in our investigation, the patient experience was key to identifying the key to potentially putting treatment decisions back into the hands of their physicians. 

Most patients with aiarthritis are “atypical” in that they would not meet the inclusion criteria required in the same clinical trials insurance companies use to cite to justify their cost-preferred treatment recommendations. Current trials only want patients who are “typical”, or fall under the label “general patient population”. Therefore, when a patient is not “typical”, the responsibility to determine the safest and most efficacious treatment should fall on their doctor, who is ethically obligated to treat patients based on their individual characteristics.

AiArthritis is building on these findings by teaming with FORWARD Databank (formerly known as the National Data Bank for Rheumatic Diseases) to conduct post-market research into patient subgroups to show potential differences in treatment response based on individual characteristics. AiArthritis also works on this issue as an Advisory Task Force Member for Let My Doctors Decide, a group led by American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA). 

 

Whether it is insurance companies in the United States or other non-medical groups deciding treatment use in other countries, the issue is the same. Patients want to work with their doctors to decide which treatment is best for them. If you believe this and would like to share your experiences or support on this issue, please send us an email or message us on social media. 

 

Patient Voices and All Other Stakeholders - Join our AiArthritis Voices Program and Connect to Opportunities to Have Your Voice Counted!

 

If you are a patient, a parent of a juvenile patient, or any other stakeholder (doctor, nurse, researcher, industry representative, or other health services person) - are you ready to join the conversation? It's your turn to pull up a seat. Join our new AiArthritis Voices program, where people living with AiArthritis diseases and other stakeholders who we need 'at the table' to solve problems that impact education, advocacy, and research sign up to have a voice in our initiatives. By signing up, you’ll get notified of opportunities to be more involved with this show - including submitting post-episode comments and gaining insider information on future show topics. Patients and all other stakeholders are encouraged to join so we can match you with opportunities to pull up a seat and TOGETHER - as equals - solve the problems of today and tomorrow.

JOIN TODAY!

 

AiArthritis Voices 360 is produced by the International Foundation for Autoimmune and Autoinflammatory Arthritis. Visit us on the web at www.aiarthritis.org/talkshow. Find us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook (@ifAiArthritis) or email us (podcast@aiarthritis.org).

 

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