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An official publication of the ACR and the ARP serving rheumatologists and rheumatology professionals

Should Biologic Therapy in Dermatology Be Interrupted During the Pandemic?

Reuters Staff  |  

NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—The ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic has raised concerns about whether biologic therapy could make psoriasis patients more susceptible to SARS-CoV-2, the virus behind COVID-19. Mark Lebwohl, MD, from Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York and colleagues address this issue in a letter in the Journal of the…

Sanofi Can Produce Millions of Doses of HCQ, Potential Coronavirus Drug

Matthias Blamont & Michael Erman  |  

PARIS (Reuters)—Sanofi SA will be able to provide millions of doses of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) for patients with the illness caused by the novel coronavirus if the old malaria drug proves successful in clinical trials, its chief executive tells Reuters on Thursday. Paul Hudson, who became CEO of the French drugmaker in September, said in an…

CMS Releases Additional Updates to MIPS 2019 Submission

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The Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services (CMS) announced last week an extension of the 2019 Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) reporting deadline to 8 p.m. EDT on Thursday, April 30. The extreme and uncontrollable circumstances policy has also been updated to automatically apply to any MIPS-eligible providers who do not submit data by the…

The Personal Side of COVID-19: Q&A with Philip A. Waller, MD

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The outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is disrupting rheumatology clinics and practices all over the world. In the U.S., many providers are turning to telemedicine to care for their patients, but struggles remain. Philip A. Waller, MD, who practices at Accurate Clinical Research, Houston, spoke with The Rheumatologist about how the pandemic is affecting his…

Stimulus Relief Aid for Rheumatology Practices: Details & How to Apply Now

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Rheumatology practices are being hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. The sustainability of practices is being threatened and patient access to care is being reduced. The $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act has numerous provisions that bring much-needed support to physicians and their practices. This includes $100 billion for healthcare providers, including physician…

U.S. FDA Says HCQ & Other Malaria Drugs in Shortage as COVID-19 Drives Up Demand

Reuters Staff  |  

April 1 (Reuters)—The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said malaria drugs hydroxychloroquine and related chloroquine are in shortage due to a surge in demand because of the coronavirus pandemic. The drugs, which have been tried with some success to treat the illness caused by the virus, were added to the agency’s website that lists…

No Evidence to Support Biologic Switching Guidelines for JIA

Marilynn Larkin  |  

NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—For young people with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) who don’t achieve disease control, switching to a different class of biologic is unlikely to be beneficial, researchers say. The observational study yielded no evidence to support or refute the 2015 National Health Service England guidelines, which recommend switching most patients to a second…

Sanofi, Regeneron Expand Testing of Potential Coronavirus Treatment

Reuters Staff  |  

(Reuters)—Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. have expanded a clinical trial of their rheumatoid arthritis drug Kevzara (sarilumab) as a coronavirus treatment to patients outside the U.S. The companies said enrolments for the mid-to-late stage trial of sarilumab, an immune-system modifying drug known as a monoclonal antibody, have now started in Italy, Spain, Germany, France, Canada…