AbbVie partners with advocates to champion equitable and multidisciplinary care in Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis

Pharma News: Clinical experts and patient advocates have gathered today at The Future of IBD Care in Australia Forum, a pivotal event hosted in Melbourne by AbbVie and Crohn’s and Colitis Australia (CCA). The primary objective of this gathering is to catalyse action on the IBD National Action Plan, a strategic initiative launched over two years ago. This plan aims to address the growing number of Australians grappling with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), encompassing ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.

The Forum serves as a platform for discussions based on the National Action Plan and a newly unveiled whitepaper titled Inflammatory Bowel Disease – Addressing the ‘hidden’ disease with innovative, multidisciplinary and patient-centric care. This whitepaper delves into several pressing issues within the IBD care landscape, including the significant delays in diagnosis, administrative challenges in accessing therapies, and the unique difficulties faced by rural and regional patients.

One particularly concerning statistic reveals that nearly half of ulcerative colitis patients experience delays of more than a year before receiving a proper diagnosis. Access to IBD therapies, which is essential for managing the condition, presents formidable administrative and resource hurdles for both healthcare providers and patients. These bottlenecks can lead to substantial delays in receiving crucial treatments, compounding the challenges faced by IBD sufferers, especially those residing in rural areas.

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For those fortunate enough to access treatment, not all patients respond favourably to the available therapies. This lack of predictability in treatment response is further exacerbated by the scarcity of data in this regard.

Leanne Raven, CEO of Crohn’s and Colitis Australia, emphasised the importance of the National Action Plan, saying, “The vision for the Government’s IBD National Action Plan was for all Australians living with inflammatory bowel disease to have access to high-quality, integrated care. While we have made advances in a number of areas, there is still significant work to be done. IBD is one of a number of complex chronic diseases which require specialist care and have a significant impact on the health system. Effective solutions with the potential to enhance care pathways and improve patients’ quality of life exist, but achieving this requires a dedicated commitment to system change.”

Nathalie McNeil, Vice President and General Manager at AbbVie Australia and New Zealand, expressed her commitment to addressing these issues, stating, “We understand that medicines are just one part of the ecosystem. AbbVie is committed to working with the IBD community locally to understand the barriers and challenges that exist, to support access to medicines and to advocate for system changes that promote equitable access to care, thereby improving outcomes for Australians living with IBD.”

IBD is a chronic inflammatory condition that typically manifests at a young age, often between 15 and 30 years, where consumers want to be well and fully engaged in society. It causes a range of debilitating symptoms, including abdominal pain, fatigue, urgency to go tot the toilet and diarrhoea, significantly impeding an individual’s ability to lead a normal life. The death rate for Australians living with IBD is up to five times higher than the general population, and the condition takes a heavy toll on mental health.

The most effective approach to managing IBD, based on research and international best practices, involves a multidisciplinary care team led by a gastroenterologist. This team includes specialist nurses, dieticians, colorectal surgeons, psychologists, pharmacists, and administration staff to ensure the seamless management of the complex treatment and care pathways required for effective IBD management.

Unfortunately, this ideal model of care often faces logistical and workforce constraints, leading to inconsistencies and fragmentation in Australia’s IBD care system. This, in turn, results in misdiagnosed patients and a diminished quality of life.

To tackle the critical issues highlighted at the Forum, experts and advocates from the IBD community are collaborating to prioritise areas of concern. The outcomes of these discussions will be used to engage the Australian Department of Health and Aged Care in ongoing efforts to improve IBD care in Australia.

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