Advocacy

California Bill Limiting ‘Step Therapy’ Clears First Policy Committee

Last June 2010, the National Fibromyalgia Association urged patients in California to write their legislative officials to support the passage of a bill which would limit the practice by insurance companies known as “step therapy” or “fail first,” where patients have to take up to five older, less expensive medicines before they gain access to [...]

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Becky Halstead: Learning to Say No

By Ben Ryan After a quarter century of “Sir, yes sir!” Becky Halstead had to learn to say “no.”  To do so was contrary to the very core of her personality.  Relentless discipline had defined her life since early childhood and had helped her shatter one glass ceiling after the next as she marched her [...]

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Update on FDA rejection of Sodium Oxybate for treatment of fibromyalgia

On October 11, 2010, the FDA voted not to approve Sodium Oxybate for the treatment of fibromyalgia. Despite this setback, the National Fibromyalgia Association is committed to continue advocating for access to treatments for the fibromyalgia community.  We want to thank everyone who responded to our call to action last week by sending letters to the FDA in support of [...]

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Attention Nevada Fibromyalgia patients: Protect your access to medications

A message to Nevada fibromyalgia patients, from Rae Marie Gleason, NFA Executive Director On September 23, 2010 the Nevada Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee will meet in Carson City to review all fibromyalgia (FM) FDA approved medications. They are contemplating making these medications available only after a person tries several other drugs that prove to be [...]

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Tips for “going back to school with fibromyalgia”

It’s back to school for many of our students this month. The NFA has featured numerous articles on managing fibromyalgia symptoms while attending classes in our FM Online newsletter. More recently, we also asked ourFacebook friends for their tips on going back to school with fibromyalgia. A majority of the responses suggested taking online classes. In the past [...]

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FibroBlog Monday: Some of our favorite blogs and posts

The fibromyalgia community is fortunate to have many talented writers who, despite everyday challenges of living with chronic pain and other debilitating symptoms of fibromyalgia, continue to raise awareness of this very real condition by sharing their personal and poignant stories on their blogs. The National Fibromyalgia Association launched our own FibroBlog early this year, [...]

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Patients respond to National Fibromyalgia Association’s Call to Action urging end to unethical practice of “Step Therapy”

  Last month, the National Fibromyalgia Associationurged patients in California to write their legislative officials to support the passage ofAssembly Bill 1826, which would limit the practice by insurance companies known as “step therapy” or “fail first,” where patients have to take up to five older, less expensive medicines before they gain access to the treatment [...]

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Stop unethical practice of “Step Therapy” and help support AB 1826

The National Fibromyalgia Association is supporting the passage of California Assembly Bill 1826, which would end the unethical practice used by insurance companies known as “step therapy” or “fail first.” Step Therapy requires patients try and “fail” up to five older, less expensive medicines before they gain access to the treatment initially prescribed by their doctor—critical [...]

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