Assessment of organization of medical care and drug provision for patients with rheumatic diseases, and the socioeconomic burden of these diseases in the Russian Federation

Abstract
This article reviews data on the assessment of the incidence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), and psoriatic arthritis (PsA, arthropathic psoriasis), as well as related disability and the economic burden of these nosological entities, including their therapy with biological agents. It considers the issues of organization and quality of medical care, drug supply, normative and legal regulation. The paper also shows the important epidemiological and socioeconomic importance of RA, AS, and PsA in Russia, points out the regional peculiarities of medical care and drug provision, and proposes solutions for their optimization at the federal and local levels. In preparing this investigation, the authors have taken into account the opinions of many specialists and experts in this field from different subjects of the Russian Federation.