Australian children suffering from systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (sJIA) now have access to Actemra, a biologic treatment recently approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).

Actemra has been given the go signal for treatment of children two years of age and older, who are afflicted with the condition. Last year, the Australia's Federal Government started funding the biologic treatment Humira (adalimumab) for children over four years of age, with polyarticular JIA under its Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). At present, Actemra is only available for adults with severe active Rheumatoid Arthritis under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).

The myth that only older people are affected by arthritis has been refuted by hard facts. In Australia, at least 5,000 children are affected by JIA at any one time. Statistics from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare show that onein every 1,000 children suffers from juvenile arthritis. Around the world, the condition is one the leading causes of paediatric acquired disability.

JIA occurs when a person's own immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys healthy cells in the body, causing stiffness, swelling, pain and moving difficulties in one or more of a child's joints, in some cases preventing them from enjoying school, sporting activities and playing with friends.

Dr Jeffrey Chaitow welcomed the decision to approve Actemra for children with this severe form of juvenile arthritis.

"sJIA is a debilitating disease characterised by persistent fevers, swollen and painful joints which significantly impact on a child's quality of life," said Dr Chaitow, head of the Department of Rheumatology at The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney.

"Many have difficulty walking and rely on their parents and carers for help with simple daily tasks. They may experience isolation and loss of self-esteem as their ability to play with friends, attend school and participate in sport is also impacted."

Like Humira, Actemra belongs to a group of medicines called biologics. Biologics block the specific part of the immune system that is attacking the healthy cells of the body, therefore targeting the underlying mechanism of the disease as well as its symptoms.

Actemra is specifically designed to block the action of the body's protein messenger interleukin-6 (IL-6) which contributes to chronic inflammation. Levels of IL-6 are elevated in children with sJIA and play a central role in driving the systemic (whole body) and articular (joint) effects of sJIA.