Rheumatoid arthritis patients’ preferences in regulatory decision-makings

2020-12-21

There are many treatment options available for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Patients’ preferences for treatments vary significantly. Finding out what patients prefer can support regulatory decision-makers to make better decisions when deciding what treatments should be approved and made available to patients. A recent publication explores what RA patients prefer, and how different their preferences are. 

Karin Schölin Bywall
Karin Schölin Bywall

This study is one of several published studies conducted by members of the PREFER consortium that are outside the scope of the project but will help answer questions addressed by PREFER. By recognising the differences in preferences of patients with the same disease, the authors hope their findings can help support regulatory decision-makers in the medical product life cycle.

The Arthritis Research & Therapy article identifies three preference patterns among RA patients. Treatment effectiveness was the single most important attribute for one group, while route of administration was the most important attribute for another group, closely followed by frequency of use and psychological side effects. Avoiding severe side effects was the most important attribute followed by psychological side effects for a third group.

 “Hopefully, the focus on specific side-effects and the likelihood of their occurrence could support market authorisation evaluations of new RA treatments” says Karin Schölin Bywall, one of the authors.

By Anna Holm

Schölin Bywall K, Kihlbom U, Hansson M, Falahee M, Raza K, Bäcklund E & Veldwijk J, Patient preferences on rheumatoid arthritis second-line treatment: a discrete choice experiment of Swedish patients, Arthritis Research & Therapy, 22:288, 2020. 

Last modified: 2021-11-10