Methotrexate is the leading DMARD in Finland

We read with interest the report by Aletaha et al on international questionnaires of the early treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).1 We would like to draw attention to the newest statistics in Finland. In Finland the sickness insurance scheme provides reimbursement (today 75%) for prescription drugs in chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases, principally rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, chronic reactive arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and systemic rheumatic diseases. Eligibility entails a medical certificate written by a specialist in rheumatology and approved by the welfare authorities. All patients who are entitled to reimbursement are centrally registered by the social insurance institution. Glucocorticoids and disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) are medicines which can be reimbursed in this category. …