THINGS NOT TO DO DURING A PANDEMIC

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What’s the problem? 

There isn’t a “one-size-fits-all" approach when it comes to your health and well-being.  

For people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) it's especially difficult to find medication that works. So when you do, it’s life changing. 

Now, thousands of people may be forced to change the medication that works best for them due to a planned “switch” by the government to something called a biosimilar. 

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This doesn’t sound right.
Tell me more.  

A biosimilar is similar - but not identical to a biologic drug. But that doesn’t mean our bodies react the same way to it. 

While biosimilars can offer safe and effective treatment for people with Crohn’s and colitis, a switch in medication can also cause disruption for patients’ health. 

Now is not the time for a switch.  

Our health care system is under immense pressure. Hospital bed shortages and infections spreading throughout communities have sadly become a common occurrence. 
 
Forcing patients on successful treatment regimens to change their medication is a risk that our health system cannot afford.  

What are the risks?

More often than not, people have adverse reactions to new medication. IBD patients are no exception. 

More than 1 in 2 people who have IBD experienced changes in their health after being switched to a different medication.

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Half of IBD patients experienced a disruption in their health after their critical medications were switched. Read the results of our survey here.

THE BOTTOM LINE:

NOW IS NOT THE TIME.

So, what can be done? 

Your voice is powerful. Politicians pay close attention to what happens online. The pandemic has kept representatives and their staff connected at almost every hour of the day on what is holding people’s attention.
 
We need to do two things:

  1. Build a critical mass of support for continued access to biologic drugs for the treatment of IBD.
  2. Bring the government back to the table for discussion. 

The more people that act right now, the stronger our chances of ensuring that patients aren’t forced to switch their critical medications during a pandemic. Now is not the time. 

“Thousands of Ontarians rely on medication every day to manage their IBD. Switching their treatment could disrupt their health. Now is not the time to force patients to switch medication that is already working for them.”

Want to help another way?

Send a letter directly to your Ontario representative and let them know that you think patients should not be switched from their biologic to a biosimilar for non-medical reasons!

Send a Letter - Ontario
 
Send a Letter - Quebec