Arthritis Foundation Statement on Methotrexate Access

On June 24, 2022 the U.S. Supreme Court issued a historic decision overturning Roe v. Wade, declaring that the right to an abortion is no longer federally protected by the right to privacy. This ruling returned the decision to regulate abortion, including many fundamental reproductive health-care decisions, back to the states, and without any federal constitutional standards.

As an organization committed to improving the lives of people with arthritis and their families, the Arthritis Foundation recognizes that this decision will significantly impact the arthritis community and is likely to disproportionately affect the uninsured, under-insured and communities of color.

In anticipation of such a ruling, more than 20 states passed laws (also known as “trigger laws”) intended to criminalize abortions, with at least six additional states’ laws going into effect since the decision. Many of these state laws specifically list certain medications as “abortion-inducing drugs,” which bans their use without necessarily distinguishing by condition or diagnosis. One of these drugs is methotrexate, a well-established FDA-approved therapy with a long track record of safety and effectiveness often used to treat inflammatory arthritis and other autoimmune conditions and, at much higher doses, cancer. Methotrexate is also medically indicated for treating a patient after an early pregnancy loss, including ectopic pregnancy and miscarriage.

Most commonly, methotrexate is prescribed to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA) but may also be prescribed for axial spondyloarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, lupus, Sjogren’s vasculitis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), and other related conditions. In some states where laws banning or severely restricting abortion have already taken effect, some arthritis patients are reporting difficulty filling their methotrexate prescriptions.

The Arthritis Foundation has a long history of advocating for comprehensive access to high-quality health care services and medications. We believe health care should be individualized and patient-centered, and we advocate for joint medical decision-making in the provider-patient relationship. As such, the Arthritis Foundation supports unencumbered access to and coverage of FDA-approved drugs for managing arthritis in alignment with scientific and clinical guidelines, as well as evidence-based medical recommendations.

We are committed to fighting for all people who live with arthritis while championing the fight to conquer arthritis with life-changing science, resources, advocacy, and community connections. We are quickly and actively engaging with many of our partner organizations, patient advocates, pharmaceutical industry and pharmacy partners, as well as federal and state governments to determine the best next steps to take to address this issue.

Can’t Get Your Methotrexate?

The Arthritis Foundation does not have access to methotrexate, but if you’re having trouble getting it from your current pharmacy, try these steps:

• Allow extra time when refilling your prescription to give your pharmacy additional time to purchase your medications.
• Check the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists website to see if there is a known shortage of your medication and a timeline when it might be available again.
• Check with your insurance company for information about where to purchase your medication.
• Call all local pharmacies in your area to see if they have it available.
• Call mail order pharmacies to find out if they have any available. (Online pharmacies have a price check option to check the price of the medication prior to purchasing it.)
• If a generic version of your medication is not available, check the manufacturer’s website for a coupon to lower the cost of the brand-name drug. The manufacturer may have a co-pay assistance program that can lower the cost of your prescription. (Qualifications may apply).
• Check with your health care provider to see if a similar medication is available that would work for you.