Readmoreheakiight A SPECIAL INTEREST SECTION Y MEDIAPLANET In the Midst of the Pandemic, Vision Health Policy Is Evolving OF MCourt anadans have been Treatment options expand- avoiding non-es- ing as policy adapts sertial outings, as Thoughthas sometimes fet ke newer on the scene, biosimilars originator biologics, but they arentchemicaly identcal. Being they should, but it the world's standrg stil over the have less data available, and hasn't always been clear what last year medical research and most doctors sl have very itte, that means for our heath-related policy remain fast-moving. The tany, experience with them opoirtments for ron COVID-19 advent of biologie therapies o concerns like vision health "During this pandemic, we're diseases, but now with biosim which wit vary between prov feaion an al being told to keep healthy. larn-which are versions of the stay safe, and protect ourselves originator treatment-entering to forced switching to biosimlars One of the big concems cen anearra w lutionzed treatment for retinal tres around govemment policy y D ona C ie Oortas inces, particularly as it relates e vaccines becoming avalable, yon and our loved ones says Dr the market in Canada, conver- for patients who are already o Jane Barratt, Secretary General sations abouut patient choice of the Intemational Federation satety, and effectiveness must Biosimlar policy is goingto have o know which one goes in my an originator biologic treatent now they'e all safe and efect we. but im sti going to want on Ageing (IFAJ. "Part of that be at the forefront of policy and adrect impacton pationta" says particularly t we have an eye good practice condition, is keeping up wth our Retina specialists have been working well for a patent, woutine screening as much asis using biologics since 2006 in peneraly dont want to sen theirresources for patents and the possible in this environment For vision especially, it of experience with thee aerent Pis pustback aready in Albeta accessed by visting ts webete doesn't make sense to put off biologics" says Calgary-based with switching koheumatlogical meke von aheath priority in the ansessmentor treatmentif you retina specialist Dr Geoff W- biosimlars, with some pabents midst ofthe pandemic. Esimport think your evesight may te at ams. "This has provided agood feeling that the biosimlar wasntant that we inform ourselves am, and why it was chosen over the ofhers The IFA has several De Wiliams something is Canada so we have 15 years treatment change Wesen e vision community which can be As we remind ourselves to risk "The crtical Ping is mat sense of how well they wok and workng as well for them people who have age-related how sate they are. Biosimilars. macular degeneration or dia on the other hand, are very new The right to decide betic eye disease know that so s going to take some fime More options for treatment are their treatment is tme-sensi- fordoctons to get experience with ahways welcome. but experts tive. says Or. Barratt. "The them and feel comfortable about the therapies avalable and ensure that al voices are being heardn decisions reted tot ment choice e IFA has every confidence in the safety measures that oph- Similar, but not identical thaimologists have in place and Biosimilars are required to COD-19 vaccine says D Bar terg dee M regularty review want to ensure that having new choices actualy resuts in patierts having more choice. "se the Bopy o de demonstrate similar efficacy to ratt wth five diforertathorized reet Lem moeteysenyouca The aiemade ponsitivtt ppothnaeabbad phamatcompany Research Makes Great Strides in Solving a Stem Cell Mystery Fay Knights and O Lara Mon F ighting Blindness the most ambitious and impact how to encourage shem cells to trophies," says Dr. Cayouette. Canada (FBC), the tul vision science initatives in make the specific type of retinal He and his team are now study largest private funder Canada. One of the grants is to ceoll needed for treatment -in ing whether this information can of vision research in support research by Dr. Michel this case cone photoreceptors be used in regenerative med- Canada, has investedover S40 Cayouette and his team at the - instead of another type of cine. milion in the most promising Montreal Clinical Research retinal cel This impressive discovery Dr. Cayouette's research giving scientists the informa- vision research to understand Instituto. who identifled bwo mol- the causes of vision loss and ecules that drive stem cels to sheds light on this process, tion and inspiration 1they need new treatments and make cone photoreceptor cels showing that bwo genes are as they develop stem cell ther- advance r cures for blinding eye diseases. the ighe sensing cells respon- turned on when stem cells are apies, moving scientsts closer This investment means that sble for detail and central vision making cone cells and tumed to being able to develop an there are now treatments to that are lost in eye diseases like offahen they arent. The resuts eflective stem cell herapy for prevent vision loss for people retinitis pigmentosa and Star of Dr Cayouete's research also retinal diseases iving with glaucoma, age-re gardt disease. uted macular degeneration, and show that aficially turning on FBC is proud to fund innov Stem cells have the abity to the genes drives stem cels to ative and promising vision research h like the work of Dr. dabetes-related vision loss, and make many new types of cels make more cone cells that as of 2020, the first sightre and are being considered as storing gene therapy treatment treatments for bilinding eye dis- genes is exciting because it lo create abrighter uure for the for an inherted netinal disease eases to replace cells that have marks an importart step toward 15millon Canadans ving with is now avalable in Canada In the last year, FBC has funded 26 grants. including Innovating for a brighter six new outstanding research future projects that represent some of Alarge chalenge is figuring out cells lost in varioun retinal dys- nengtndesa "The idenafication of these Cayouette and his team, helping been lost or damaged understanding how eacty cone vision loss and bindness. . cels are generwed which is providing new therapeutic opportunities to replace cone ound ing ah Lem moe atou FaC on WHITE CANE WEEK 2021 CANADIAN COUNCIL OF THE BUND LE CONSEL CANDEN DES AVEUGLES February 7-13 White Cane Week Vision 2021 Gold Partners: AMI BAUSCH+LOMB Bell O NOVARTIS VIARC Readmoreheakiight A SPECIAL INTEREST SECTION Y MEDIAPLANET In the Midst of the Pandemic, Vision Health Policy Is Evolving OF MCourt anadans have been Treatment options expand- avoiding non-es- ing as policy adapts sertial outings, as Thoughthas sometimes fet ke newer on the scene, biosimilars originator biologics, but they arentchemicaly identcal. Being they should, but it the world's standrg stil over the have less data available, and hasn't always been clear what last year medical research and most doctors sl have very itte, that means for our heath-related policy remain fast-moving. The tany, experience with them opoirtments for ron COVID-19 advent of biologie therapies o concerns like vision health "During this pandemic, we're diseases, but now with biosim which wit vary between prov feaion an al being told to keep healthy. larn-which are versions of the stay safe, and protect ourselves originator treatment-entering to forced switching to biosimlars One of the big concems cen anearra w lutionzed treatment for retinal tres around govemment policy y D ona C ie Oortas inces, particularly as it relates e vaccines becoming avalable, yon and our loved ones says Dr the market in Canada, conver- for patients who are already o Jane Barratt, Secretary General sations abouut patient choice of the Intemational Federation satety, and effectiveness must Biosimlar policy is goingto have o know which one goes in my an originator biologic treatent now they'e all safe and efect we. but im sti going to want on Ageing (IFAJ. "Part of that be at the forefront of policy and adrect impacton pationta" says particularly t we have an eye good practice condition, is keeping up wth our Retina specialists have been working well for a patent, woutine screening as much asis using biologics since 2006 in peneraly dont want to sen theirresources for patents and the possible in this environment For vision especially, it of experience with thee aerent Pis pustback aready in Albeta accessed by visting ts webete doesn't make sense to put off biologics" says Calgary-based with switching koheumatlogical meke von aheath priority in the ansessmentor treatmentif you retina specialist Dr Geoff W- biosimlars, with some pabents midst ofthe pandemic. Esimport think your evesight may te at ams. "This has provided agood feeling that the biosimlar wasntant that we inform ourselves am, and why it was chosen over the ofhers The IFA has several De Wiliams something is Canada so we have 15 years treatment change Wesen e vision community which can be As we remind ourselves to risk "The crtical Ping is mat sense of how well they wok and workng as well for them people who have age-related how sate they are. Biosimilars. macular degeneration or dia on the other hand, are very new The right to decide betic eye disease know that so s going to take some fime More options for treatment are their treatment is tme-sensi- fordoctons to get experience with ahways welcome. but experts tive. says Or. Barratt. "The them and feel comfortable about the therapies avalable and ensure that al voices are being heardn decisions reted tot ment choice e IFA has every confidence in the safety measures that oph- Similar, but not identical thaimologists have in place and Biosimilars are required to COD-19 vaccine says D Bar terg dee M regularty review want to ensure that having new choices actualy resuts in patierts having more choice. "se the Bopy o de demonstrate similar efficacy to ratt wth five diforertathorized reet Lem moeteysenyouca The aiemade ponsitivtt ppothnaeabbad phamatcompany Research Makes Great Strides in Solving a Stem Cell Mystery Fay Knights and O Lara Mon F ighting Blindness the most ambitious and impact how to encourage shem cells to trophies," says Dr. Cayouette. Canada (FBC), the tul vision science initatives in make the specific type of retinal He and his team are now study largest private funder Canada. One of the grants is to ceoll needed for treatment -in ing whether this information can of vision research in support research by Dr. Michel this case cone photoreceptors be used in regenerative med- Canada, has investedover S40 Cayouette and his team at the - instead of another type of cine. milion in the most promising Montreal Clinical Research retinal cel This impressive discovery Dr. Cayouette's research giving scientists the informa- vision research to understand Instituto. who identifled bwo mol- the causes of vision loss and ecules that drive stem cels to sheds light on this process, tion and inspiration 1they need new treatments and make cone photoreceptor cels showing that bwo genes are as they develop stem cell ther- advance r cures for blinding eye diseases. the ighe sensing cells respon- turned on when stem cells are apies, moving scientsts closer This investment means that sble for detail and central vision making cone cells and tumed to being able to develop an there are now treatments to that are lost in eye diseases like offahen they arent. The resuts eflective stem cell herapy for prevent vision loss for people retinitis pigmentosa and Star of Dr Cayouete's research also retinal diseases iving with glaucoma, age-re gardt disease. uted macular degeneration, and show that aficially turning on FBC is proud to fund innov Stem cells have the abity to the genes drives stem cels to ative and promising vision research h like the work of Dr. dabetes-related vision loss, and make many new types of cels make more cone cells that as of 2020, the first sightre and are being considered as storing gene therapy treatment treatments for bilinding eye dis- genes is exciting because it lo create abrighter uure for the for an inherted netinal disease eases to replace cells that have marks an importart step toward 15millon Canadans ving with is now avalable in Canada In the last year, FBC has funded 26 grants. including Innovating for a brighter six new outstanding research future projects that represent some of Alarge chalenge is figuring out cells lost in varioun retinal dys- nengtndesa "The idenafication of these Cayouette and his team, helping been lost or damaged understanding how eacty cone vision loss and bindness. . cels are generwed which is providing new therapeutic opportunities to replace cone ound ing ah Lem moe atou FaC on WHITE CANE WEEK 2021 CANADIAN COUNCIL OF THE BUND LE CONSEL CANDEN DES AVEUGLES February 7-13 White Cane Week Vision 2021 Gold Partners: AMI BAUSCH+LOMB Bell O NOVARTIS VIARC