My Ra Campaign

EDM number 1847 in 2006-07, proposed by David Amess on 04/07/2007.

That this House welcomes the launch this week of the My RA educational campaign, an initiative designed to provide people living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with the information, skills and confidence to manage this debilitating and disabling long-term condition themselves; notes that over 500,000 people live with RA in the UK, suffering from the debilitating symptoms of swollen, painful joints and stiffness which affect a person's ability to carry out everyday tasks; recognises that RA affects approximately three times more women than men and that onset is usually between 40 to 60 years of age; understands that, while there is no cure for RA, it can be managed and prognosis is good if diagnosed and treated early, and that RA is an economically costly disease with total UK costs including indirect costs and work-related disability estimated to be approximately £3.8 to £4.75 billion per year; congratulates the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society on its collaboration with Wyeth in developing the My RA campaign as an important contribution to patient self-management; and calls on the Government to recognise that RA is a major challenge to individual patients, their families and society as a whole.

This motion has been signed by a total of 66 MPs.