Methotrexate is a drug used in treating ectopic pregnancies.
But methotrexate is also the gold standard in treating various autoimmune disease, including lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.
Social media has been awash with some patients claiming that access to their arthritis or cancer medication has been curtailed because methotrexate can cause abortions.
The Arthritis Foundation is the largest patient advocacy group serving 58 million Americans with diagnosed arthritis. The foundation supports patients in breaking down barriers in access to treatment, improving quality of life for patients to empower them to tell their story and to make connections with others. Some of the foundation’s other mission work involves support groups, online forums and in-person events.
Anna Hyde is vice president of advocacy and access at the Arthritis Foundation. She says they’ve started hearing reports of patients having difficulty accessing their arthritis prescriptions because they contain methotrexate.
It was difficult for this reporter to find if various prescribing policies have changed in Wisconsin. Calls to several of the largest hospital systems in Wisconsin went unanswered. And the Arthritis Foundation wasn’t able to point to any examples in this state.
But Steven Schultz, the Arthritis Foundation’s director of state legislative affairs, says they’re still nailing down where these restrictions are happening, who is the source of the denials, and what patients are being told. He says they’re still clarifying the full impact in the wake of Dobbs.
Hyde said interrupting access to medication leaves patients with few or no way to treat their conditions and creates insurance and affordability barriers.
Arthritis patients facing barriers are encouraged to reach out to the Arthritis Foundation as the team is fighting and addressing key policy issues both on the state and federal level and are making it a priority to continue keeping these medications accessible.
The Arthritis Foundation recently put out a statement in response to the methotrexate access issues to raise awareness and is encouraging patients to share their stories. The statement includes helpful information for what patients should do if they’re running into issues getting their medications.
Anyone in need of help getting their medications can reach out to the foundation’s helpline or call at 1-800-283-7800 if interested in sharing any experiences or stories.
Photo courtesy / jarmoluk/pixabay
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