OP0254-PARE LUPUS CAMPAIGN (SLE) IN SERBIA
Authors: N. Nedić
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2024)

<h3>Background:</h3> Since the establishment of ORS, we have been organising different activities for rheumatic diseases patients and their supporters within our five branches. In this way, we have started a campaign on lupus, in agreement and good cooperation with rheumatologists, so that the drugs that help lupus patients are more accessible to them. There is still no biological available in the country, and the drug most often used by patients pays for it. That's why we called all lupus sufferers to join us in the campaign until we achieve the desired result. <h3>Objectives:</h3> The aims of this campaign were for us to: 1.Let's win for inclusion on the Republic Fund of Health Insurance list of innovative therapies for the treatment of SLE. −In a good part of European countries, innovative therapies for the treatment of SLE are already being applied and they are giving good results, so why shouldn't it be the same in our country? The goal is to have innovative therapy for lupus patients. 2.Mycophenolate Mofetil is not on the positive list, patients pay for it. It is a problem for patients who pay for it because for some it is the only therapy (as well as for scleroderma). Especially this year, when the price of the medicine has increased by 100% and many patients give up the medicine because they cannot afford it. The goal is to have patients treated with the medicine that helps them. <h3>Methods:</h3> We started the lupus campaign by organizing a hybrid meeting on 12/28. in 2022. Rheumatologist prof. Dr. Mirjana Šefik Bukilica gave a lecture on SEL and after that she answered the questions asked during the meeting. Of course, and prim. Dr. Mirjana Lapčević answered the questions and Moderated the meeting. After that, we continued with official correspondence with the Republic Health Insurance Fund and the Ministry of Health. In addition, we appeared on several televisions together with rheumatologists and continued the campaign on our social networks. In our branches, we organized meetings with lectures in the following order: Niš, May 10. 2023. a group of volunteers from Belgrade traveled to Nis and together with volunteers from Nis promoted a campaign about lupus. Kregujevac, May 25. 2023, a group of volunteers from Belgrade traveled to Kragujevac and together with volunteers from Kragujevac promoted a campaign about lupus Novi Sad, June 9. 2023, a group of volunteers from Belgrade traveled to Novi Sad and together with volunteers from Novi sad promoted a campaign about lupus We printed a brochure about lupus and distributed it in the mentioned cities as well as in the cities where we had active volunteers. <h3>Results:</h3> Mycophenolate Mofetil entered the commission's consideration of the so-called off-label drugs, and the commission began to approve such drugs without payment. Registration of anifrolumab is in process. <h3>Conclusion:</h3> We have to work on raising public awareness constantly for all rheumatic diseases because that's the only way we can achieve the goals of helping patients. <h3>REFERENCES:</h3> [1] https://www.ors.rs/storage/files/Lupus%20brosura%20za%20web.pdf. <h3>Acknowledgements:</h3> <b>NIL.</b> <h3>Disclosure of Interests:</h3> <b>None declared.</b>