Press Release Against The Possible Definancing of SYSADOAs

On January 23rd, OAFI Foundation together with AECOSAR, Alianza General de Pacientes, Conartritis, el Foro Español de Pacientes and the Liga Reumatoloxica Galega, organized a press conference in Madrid, to present the Joint Manifesto to explain the positioning of these entities regarding the possible defunding of SYSADOAs drugs for the treatment of Osteoarthritis.

The event, which was held at the headquarters of SEFAC (Spanish Society of Family and Community Pharmacy), was attended by Dr. José Luís Baquero as representative of Foro Español de Pacientes , by Maria Antonia Robles, President of AECOSAR, Dr. Josep Vergés as President of OAFI and Ms. Navidad Sánchez, Vice President of SEFAC Madrid. As specialists who participated in the “Document on the appropriate use of oral SYSADOAs in the arthritic patient in the field of primary care” were Dr. Pilar Rodríguez Ledo, vice president of the SEMG (Spanish Society of General Practitioners and Family), Dr. Jordi Monfort, Head of the Rheumatology Service of the Hospital del Mar in Barcelona and Prof. Antonio García, Clinical Pharmacologist, President. of the Instituto Teófilo Hernando de Madrid.

In addition, the event was attended by Ma Teresa Vergés, Director of the Patient and Volunteering Area of the OAFI Foundation, who introduced different patients from different parts of Spain, providing their testimony as OA patients and users of SYSADOAs. Also present was Dr. Pedro Guillén of the Cemtro Clinic, who wanted to leave his testimony through a video where he explained his reasons for the use of these drugs.

In the press conference, it was presented the will to dialogue with the Ministry of Health to reach an agreement, since the organizations mentioned consider that it would be “a serious prejudice for thousands of people, as well as an attack on the right to universal health and basic rights of very vulnerable population groups”.

The press conference was followed with great interest by different media outlets. Here is a sample of some of them: