The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

“Seniors with osteoarthritis â€"- the wear and tear type of arthritis â€" and rheumatoid arthritis are espe- cially prone to forget to talge two: pills,” said Dr. Donald Butt, formerâ€" ly chief of medical staff at Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital who was named Canadian Family Physician of the Year in 1992. “If they get two drugs together, they won’t be able to cheat on taking it (misoprostal).” “It (PMPRB) issued bulletins â€"â€" not in effect yet â€" stating that the cost of (Canadian) drugs must be kept pretty much in line with inter- national markets,” said Hinson. “So in fact Canadians aren’t paying any more than people in other countries and Arthrotec is priced about the same in Sweden and the United Kingdom (where they are also sold) as here.” The new drug is not really new in the true sense of the word. Rather, Arthrotec is a combination of diclofenac, a non-steroid that cools inflammation in joints to relieve pain and misoprostal, which protects the stomach and duode- num. Although the drugs have long been available separately, it is the first time they have actually been melded into one medication. Searle’s president and general manager Richard Hinson said two factors were responsible for the cost restriction â€" marketing demands and government regulations. The first was governed by an ever- increasing “sensitivity” to drug price on the part of physicians and the second was an initiative by the Patented Medicines Pricing Review Board in Canada. Arthrotec will take its place in a $200 million a year Canadian mar- ketplace where 30 prescription and non-prescription anti-inflammatory drugs compete. Searle Canada con- tends that Arthrotec, comprised of two commonly used arthritis drugs, is less expensive than many single brand-name anti-inflammatory drugs. Oakviile-based Searle Canada Inc. has just introduced a two-in- one drug to the market especially targeted to seniors who forget to take a second drug to combat the side effects of the first. Moreover, it does it at a fair price. Canadian seniors who are bat- tling rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis now have a new weapon to fight with, thanks to an Oakvilie pharmaceutical company. Searle's new drug good news for arthritis sufferers; By BARB JOY Oakville Beaver Staff We. have been "Frying" since 1967! Longer than any other “Chip Shop" in Oakville. *’ Home Delivery Daily From 5:00 pm. “HAW H8“ 'N HIPS MY" DAYS Because ulcers don't cause pain, AtAn"s Fish Chips 1500 Sixth Line, 844-9209 Tyesgays are they may be present without the patient knowing about it. That’s why it is so important to protect the stomach. Butt said forgetting to take misoprostal can sometimes lead to extremely serious consequences. A recent multinational study found one month anniversary of its Home Health Care Centre. The centre has been a tremendous success in providing convenient access to customers for all their home health care needs. The centre provides rentals of hospital beds, breast pumps, comrnodes, T.E.N.S. machines, crutches, walkers, wheelchairs and ramps. Audrey Brafl'lwaite and Lillian Fraculj are certified fitters who manage the centre. The phamlacy is a registered vendor of the Asslstive Device Program. Blood pressure kits, Ostomy supplies, sports medicine, footcare and incontinence supplies are features of the centre. For Home Health Care needs visit: Cims at Trafalgar Medical Centre, 845-0800 Advertisement that between 15% and 44% of those using such non-steroidal anti- inflammatory drugs as aspirin (diclofenac is at the lower end of the scale) developed stomach lining erosions. These can develop into bleeding ulcers that can hemorrhage Butt said not everyone with arthritis takes NSAIDs. Doctors don’t prescribe them for smokers, people with a history of ulcers or Arthrotec is expected to slash the incidence of stomach damage from arthritis medication by 60% to 90%. It is estimated that about half of the four million Canadians suffering some form of arthritis rely on NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflam- matory drugs) for relief of pain. and require emergency operations. A few people have died under these conditions. filyour . mtasultl 8001ch ~ 100% Canadian Owned Trafalgar Village 125 Cross Ave. 844-4474 llyl; I”! Recently retired, Butt said he rarely went through a day in his. former practice when he didn’t see one or two people a day with arthri- tis. He termed it the most common cause of long-term disability. “We (doctors) try not to give it to people with lower risks such as younger people, non-smokers, ‘healthy’ people and those who are going on medication for just a few weeks,” said Butt. with other diseases such as coro- nary artery or chronic lung prob- lems. This special Waterfront Festival Concert and the Oakville Symphony's 25th Anniversary Season sponsored by: mmmm ext. 5410 from a touch-tone phone. One entry per person, no cost to enter. ACan'ng Company