Mail info@spondylitis.org
Monthly Newsletter
Latest News

Log In
Become a Member
0
0
Log In
Become a Member

Donate!
Mail info@spondylitis.org
Monthly Newsletter
Latest News
Donate!

Position Statements

The SAA Advocacy position statements are official statements that reflect the policy of the SAA. These papers serve as a trusted and valuable resource for the spondylitis community. Position statements are initiated by advocacy committee, written by the Medical and Scientific Advisory Board and approved by SAA’s Board of Directors.

 

2022

November 22, 2022 by Advocacy staff on behalf of MSAB

SAA statement on biosimilar use in spondyloarthritis:

  • Biosimilars are FDA-approved products that are highly similar to the reference or original marketed drug. 
  • Biosimilars, by definition, have no clinically meaningful differences in safety or effectiveness from the original marketed drug but there is no direct evidence to inform their use in spondyloarthritis.
  • Biosimilar use in practice is generally supported, particularly if this is a cost-effective option for biologic naïve patients. 
  • The long-term safety of biosimilars is not yet known and post-marketing surveillance will be important for adults and youth.
  • The ACR-SAA-SPARTAN treatment guidelines for axial spondyloarthritis do not recommend forced substitution or switch from a reference drug to a biosimilar in patients who are currently under adequate control.
  • If a payer requires a switch to a biosimilar, then informing the patients of the payer decision should occur in whatever way is best for the patient and rheumatologist. 
October 28, 2022 by Advocacy staff on behalf of MSAB

Medical Cannabis and Cannabidiol

What is medical cannabis?

Cannabis, commonly known as marijuana, is a group of plants that produce biologically active compounds. There are 2 main strains of the Cannabis plant used for recreational and medicinal purposes – sativa and indica. Cannabis can be used to help manage symptoms like pain, fatigue, and sleep disturbance in chronic conditions like Spondyloarthritis (SpA). Medical cannabis specifically refers to the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes. It is made from sativa, indica, or a mixture of both strains so that it contains specific amounts of cannabinoid molecules like tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). They can be used in whole or in extract form. Cannabis has a long history of use as a medication all over the world and in many cultures. In the United States, CBD is primarily derived from the hemp plant, which is closely related to the Cannabis plant, and which contains much lower concentrations of THC (less than 0.3%), being mainly constituted of CBD. Hemp is a very fast-growing plant and was one of the first plants to be used for its fiber 50,000 years ago. It can be refined into a variety of commercial items, including paper, textiles, clothing, biodegradable plastics, paint, insulation, biofuel, food, and animal feed.

THC has psychoactive (mind-altering) and pain-relieving properties. It is legal in Canada and for recreational and medicinal use in Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, Washington State, and Washington D.C. THC is legal for medicinal use only, meaning with a medical marijuana card or doctor’s prescription, in Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah and West Virginia. Remember, because THC and CBD are not legal under federal law, it is illegal to possess them on U.S. government property even in states or the District of Columbia where they are legal.

CBD may also reduce pain while having no known psychoactive side-effects. The strongest scientific evidence for CBD’s effectiveness is in treating severe childhood epilepsy syndromes which may not respond to antiseizure medications. The FDA has approved a CBD-containing medication for these conditions called Epidiolex.

CBD oil is legal in all but three states (Idaho, Nebraska, and South Dakota) where having cannabis or cannabis-derived products, including THC and CBD oil, for any use is illegal. Unlike THC, the central nervous system effects are not associated with a “high”, and the likelihood of dependence (addiction) is very low. However, some patients may experience drowsiness with CBD.

Back To Home