CAPP Position on Access
- Psoriasis patients should have access to dermatological care within an acceptable wait time regardless of where they live in Canada. We believe that Canadians seeking treatment for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis should not have to wait longer than 5 weeks to see a dermatologist―the national median wait time reported in 2001.
- While we recognize that it is not possible for all dermatology services to be available within commuting distance of all Canadians, we believe that phototherapy―a mainstay of treatment for psoriasis―should be available to every Canadian, either in a clinic or as an insured service at home for those who cannot access a clinic.
- All drugs that are considered the standard of care should be funded without restrictions. Dermatologists need access to the broadest range of medication options. A drug treatment that works for one patient may not work for another. In many chronic skin diseases, the body can build up a tolerance to a ‘tried and true’ medication over time and thus new ones need to be available. Also, some psoriasis patients are particularly susceptible to side effects of drugs and to drug-drug interactions. Since psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis are chronic conditions, a patient’s quality of life can be dramatically affected by drugs that are poorly tolerated, less effective or that require them to go to unreasonable lengths to administer.
