Bone health in general, and osteoporosis in particular, is among the most common conditions seen in rheumatology practices. The ACR recently joined the National Bone Health Alliance (NBHA) to reach out to other stakeholders. “In 2004, the Surgeon General of the United States published a report on osteoporosis that discussed in depth the gaps in…
Soon, rheumatologists may have another drug to offer their patients with refractory rheumatoid arthritis (RRA) for whom effective and safe treatment remains challenging. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that patients with RRA treated with once-daily baricitinib in a 4 mg dose had a significant clinical improvement in symptoms of…
Rheumatologists are accustomed to educating patients about medications—but biologic medications require some additional time and discussion. “Biologics are inherently more complex [than other medications], and there are multiple issues to consider before initiating treatment,” says K. “Kwas” Huston, MD, The Center for Rheumatic Disease, Kansas City, Mo. “This includes the patient’s disease activity, prior medications…
In 1982, my wife (also a rheumatologist) and I attended our first American Rheumatism Association (now the ACR) national meeting. After the meeting we stayed with a friend in a suburb of Boston, where we also had the opportunity to meet our hostess’ in-laws, a retired general practitioner and his wife. When her father-in-law shook…
(Reuters Health)—People should try non-drug treatment options like massage or stretching for most cases of chronic low back pain before choosing treatment with over-the-counter or prescription drugs, according to new guidelines from the American College of Physicians (ACP). If the pain began recently, the guidelines recommend superficial heat, massage, acupuncture or spinal manipulation. If patients…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Members of the military and firefighters are at increased risk of osteoarthritis (OA), a new systematic review shows. “Osteoarthritis is more common in people who are tactical athletes, people who are firefighters and military service members, than it is in the general population,” Dr. Kenneth Cameron of Keller Army Hospital in West…
WASHINGTON (Reuters)—Two U.S. lawmakers have called on privately held Marathon Pharmaceuticals LLC to explain how it came to price its newly approved drug to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy at $89,000 a year when patients have for decades been able to acquire it overseas for as little as $1,000. The drug, Emflaza, known generically as deflazacort,…
Over the past two decades, many physicians have ironically abrogated their intellectual abilities by resigning themselves to a fate of being worthless unless they work for someone else. Many factors have contributed to this process, including, but not limited to, declining reimbursements, escalating costs, onerous electronic record mandates, intense competition from hospital conglomerates and burdensome…
Each fall, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) puts out its Work Plan for the upcoming fiscal year to summarize its initiatives and priorities for new and ongoing work of HSS programs. Below is a summary of the key areas the OIG will focus on in 2017: Drug…
In 2016, the ACR and the Arthritis Foundation teamed up to direct $20 million within the Department of Defense’s (DoD’s) Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP) to arthritis treatment and prevention. The CDMRP has millions of research dollars that have not been committed to specific items. In the new appropriations cycle, we are once again…