The world is getting smaller, and to advance rheumatology, collaboration from rheumatology health professionals and organizations worldwide is required. Last month, “From the College” featured an article, “ACR Members Help Educate Rheumatologists Around the World.”1 In light of that article and the importance of strengthening relationships throughout the rheumatology world, I am taking the opportunity to provide an update on the other rheumatology leagues and how through collaboration with the ACR, advancing rheumatology is a worldwide initiative.
EULAR
The European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) is a pan-European organization that fosters a multitude of activities in areas of research, patient care, and education. The ACR and EULAR collaborate primarily on criteria development. The two organizations began discussing working together on classification and response criteria in 2005, with the recognition that the optimal model for developing and using criteria crosses national and continental borders. After taking some time to carefully consider each organization’s goals and processes, as well as ongoing rheumatology criteria work, the ACR and EULAR published an initial joint editorial—”Rheumatology Gone Global”—in October 2008, alongside a joint rheumatoid arthritis (RA) trial guidance manuscript.2,3
