MONTRÉAL, May 25, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - Accessa, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Association québécoise des pharmaciens propriétaires du Québec (AQPP), will begin to carry out its mission through patient support program services. The purpose of this program is to offer further services to Quebecers struggling with health issues which require specialty medication. Accessa announced today the onset of a collaboration with the multinational Sandoz, a Boucherville-based division of Novartis, and its new role as a province-wide intermediary with regards to patient support services for the Hyrimoz® product. This is the first significant collaboration since Accessa's inception in 2019.
Patients suffering from various types of arthritis and gastrointestinal disorders, including Crohn's disease, among other illnesses, will be provided with personalized assistance in-pharmacy with regards to dispensing this medication and monitoring the patient's therapy, as well as any training they may require to administer the treatment. This first agreement with a pharmaceutical company demonstrates the key role Québec owner-pharmacists play in the patient support program sector.
As such, patients will be able to benefit from a support program at their pharmacy, as their pharmacist will now monitor their therapy whether related to a specialty medication or other types of medication. In this way, pharmacists, best suited to assess interactions between different types of medication and among the most accessible health professionals, will be able to provide better patient management in close collaboration with prescribing physicians.
Sandoz Canada is very familiar with the uniqueness of Québec's community pharmacy model and places great importance on patient choice and the role of pharmacies. This first partnership came to be quite naturally. "We strongly believe that patients should be able to choose where they purchase their biosimilars and specialty generic medication; patients are always at the forefront of our work," declares Michel Robidoux, President and General Manager at Sandoz Canada.
Logical evolution
Accessa's arrival in patient support programs provides pharmacists with the opportunity to further develop the role they play in their patients' lives, thus benefiting Québec's healthcare system. The increase of clinical services offered by pharmacists in recent years and the exceptional participation of community pharmacies across Québec throughout the historic COVID-19 vaccination campaign are great examples of the prominent role pharmacists play, not only in front-line care but within the entire healthcare ecosystem. Giving patients this new avenue is part of a movement toward increased management of patients and their therapy by pharmacists.
"We can now realize Accessa's mission thanks to this first agreement with Sandoz. A better use of pharmacists in the realm of patient support programs is the next logical step as their role evolves, especially given the increasing number of treatments requiring complex medication. The real winners will obviously be Québec patients as they will be able to count on their pharmacist's support at all times, a contributing factor to their treatment's success," declared Accessa's President Jean Bourcier.
This agreement is but a first step for Accessa; discussions with several other drug manufacturers are ongoing so as to develop partnerships that will provide patients with more specialized support for various types of therapies.
About Accessa
Accessa is a company wholly owned by the Association québécoise des pharmaciens propriétaires (AQPP). Created in 2019, Accessa helps build and manage a new generation of patient support programs. Its main goal is to support patients struggling with health issues which require complex treatments and medications to ensure a successful therapy. By relying on a large network of highly qualified community pharmacists in different regions, Accessa allows people across Québec to benefit from a one-of-a-kind flexible patient support program.
About Sandoz
Sandoz International GmbH is a global leader in generic pharmaceuticals and biosimilars and a subsidiary of Swiss multinational Novartis.
Sandoz Canada is a pioneer and a leader in its field, a trustworthy supplier of over 65 million high-quality generic and biosimilar drug prescriptions each year, which has been building on experience and global capabilities to develop, market and distribute its products for many decades. Sandoz launched its first biosimilar on the European market in 2006, and on the Canadian market in 2009.
* Hyrimoz® is a registered trademark and is used under license by Sandoz Canada.
SOURCE Accessa
Jean Habel, Senior Advisor, Public & Government Affairs, (438) 887-0519
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