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On Tuesday 8 March 2022, the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport will hold a public hearing into childhood rheumatic diseases in Sydney.
The Chair of the Committee, Mr Trent Zimmerman MP, said that the Committee has already received valuable evidence on childhood rheumatic diseases and juvenile arthritis from medical professionals, peak bodies and patients from across Australia since launching the inquiry.
The Committee will hear further evidence from Arthritis Australia, the Juvenile Arthritis Foundation, the Australia Paediatric Rheumatology Group, the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists and other peak bodies, as well as medical professionals including Paediatric Rheumatologists from around Australia, and importantly, patients and their families.
Mr Zimmerman commented that ‘childhood rheumatic diseases are inflammatory, autoimmune conditions affecting the joints, eyes and sometimes skin, muscles and internal organs. Children diagnosed with these diseases disproportionately suffer negative health, social, educational and economic health impacts well into adulthood.
The Committee is interested to hear what more can be done to better support the Australian health system and patients in managing these diseases, and how awareness can be raised of the disease particularly among doctors, health professionals, and teachers.’
