Managing
Diabetes Medication Could Be Beneficial for People with Gout
A recent study from Arthritis Research Canada shows how diabetes medication reduces gout flares.
Arthritis Research Canada
Gout is a common type of arthritis that causes sudden, intense pain known as "flares” that are followed by painfree periods. Gout can damage joints and lead to other health issues like high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, kidney disease, heart attacks, and strokes. Reducing flares is essential for managing the disease — however, typical gout medications aren't always effective. A recent study from Arthritis Research Canada found that a newer type 2 diabetes medication might help reduce gout flares.
Over seven years, this study followed people in British Columbia who had both gout and type 2 diabetes. It checked how often they had gout
flares after they started taking one of two diabetes medicines: SGLT2i or DPP-4i. The results showed that those on SGLT2i had fewer gout flare-ups, fewer trips to the emergency room because of gout, and a lower risk of heart attacks.
“Our findings provide evidence that SGLT2i could have multiple benefits for people with gout, both by potentially reducing the number of flares they experience and by helping treat other cardiovascular and metabolic conditions,” said Dr. Natalie McCormick, Researcher at Arthritis Research Canada.
To learn more about this research study, please visit arthritisresearch.ca
Amy Moore shares her battle with diabetes stigma and sheds light on the struggles faced by many.
Diabetes Canada
Amy Moore knew something wasn’t right. Her weight kept fluctuating and she was tired all the time. After numerous tests, the only thing her doctor found was that Amy’s blood sugar level was a little high — which was attributed to her stressful job.
But despite Amy’s efforts to reduce her stress and make lifestyle changes, her blood sugar level continued to climb. In June of 2015, at the age of 25, she was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
“What I want people to know most of all is, we didn’t do this to ourselves.” With one in three people in Canada living with diabetes or pre-diabetes, it’s hard to fathom why it’s still so misunderstood.
This Diabetes Month let’s all make time to educate ourselves about the complexities of living with this chronic condition and advocate to improve access to resources for everyone impacted by diabetes.
Why We Must Improve Patients' Access to Innovative Medicines in Canada
Canada’s policy environment must improve to get innovative new medicines to the patients who need them.
Canada’s complex regulatory and reimbursement pathway means that patients must wait two years (732 days), on average, for access to approved new medicines through public drug plans — which puts us far behind peer countries including the U.S. and Germany (zero days), France (six days), Japan (22 days), Italy (128 days), and many others. While the median time for the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to reimburse a drug after Health Canada approval is 368 days, in Canada it takes 710 days. This negatively impacts patient outcomes, strains our health systems, and makes Canada less attractive for future life sciences investments.
Mediaplanet spoke with endocrinologist Dr. Akshay Jain to learn how this failure to prioritize innovation affects patients.
How are new and innovative approaches to diabetes medicines changing the way patients manage their diabetes?
Newer medications not only help control elevated sugar levels but do so with low risk of causing low sugar episodes. Some also help with weight reduction, addressing the underlying root of diabetes progression. Similarly, some help reduce the risk of heart and kidney damage. These newer medications transcend boundaries from being merely glucose-lowering drugs to becoming comprehensive diabetes risk management drugs.
Do you have any examples of patients who have achieved glycemic control earlier on their treatment journey? What are the impacts when patients can reach this goal?
With appropriate education on lifestyle modifications and suitable medication selection, many of my patients are able to achieve glycemic control much earlier. Studies show that this can help reduce the risk of complications like blindness, kidney failure, amputations, heart attacks, and strokes down the line.
Do your patients who access their diabetes medicines through publicly funded programs lag behind those with private coverage in accessing newer treatments?
Although we don’t have long-term studies looking at how the disparity can affect complications, clinicians and patients often feel frustrated when some medications available in Canada that would be perfect for their situation cannot be used solely due to access limitations.
There’s significant heterogeneity in access when looking at public and private programs and also inter-provincial criteria for access to medications.
There’s significant heterogeneity in access when looking at public and private programs and also inter-provincial criteria for access to medications. Most medications become accessible through private coverage many months (sometimes years) before public plans cover them. Older diabetes medications covered on public plans also often have higher risk of side effects.
What are the consequences for patients with diabetes on public drug programs compared to patients with private insurance?
Are patients on public drug formularies aware that they may not have the same access to innovation as patients with private coverage? Most Canadians are aware of this disparity. However, the general public has little knowledge regarding what factors are evaluated when public payers make decisions about which medications get coverage and which don’t. This lack of transparency also significantly affects clinicians’ ability to optimally make treatment decisions.
To improve patient access to new medicines, we must:
1) Eliminate time between final Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) recommendation and pick of file by the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance (pCPA)
2) Ensure the pCPA meets its own target timelines for completing negotiations
3) Commit to listing products within 30 days of a completed pCPA negotiation
Tania Amardeil
Dr. Akshay Jain Clinical and Research Endocrinologist, Surrey, BC
Together, we can minimize delays and ensure faster access to new medicines for Canadians.
It’s not a matter of if we can defeat diabetes.
To us, it’s a matter of
HOW
For over a century, we have remained committed to eradicating diabetes. By supporting innovative thinking, listening to patients and medical experts, and building strong partnerships, we are working towards building healthier communities to defeat chronic disease and improve the lives of Canadians. HOW?
By donating to the Banting & Best Diabetes Centre, Canada’s leading centre of excellence for innovation in diabetes research, education and clinical care.
By donating to the Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montreal (CHUM) to help build the first dedicated centre of expertise in diabetes for Quebec.
By donating to the Reseau d’action en santé cardiovasculaire (RASC) to help the non-profit create a new interdisciplinary program for obesity prevention and care of obesity.
By supporting Diabetes Canada’s Camp Huronda in rebuilding their onsite medical facility, the Insul-Inn, so kids living with diabetes can experience camp safely.
By creating the Novo Nordisk Alberta Diabetes Fund (NOVAD) to further innovations that can help mitigate the impact of diabetes and obesity in Alberta.
By launching Cities Changing Diabetes in Mississauga, our commitment with the city to address systemic issues that contribute to chronic diseases, like diabetes.
By partnering with the University of Toronto to establish the Novo Nordisk Network for Healthy Populations, we are committed to discovering new ways to support healthy urban living, drawing on U of T’s expertise in public health research.
To find out more about how we are working with communities to overcome diabetes, visit www.novonordisk.ca