The ACR also has witnessed enormous change in a short time period, Dr. Pisetsky says. “It started as a small organization during a tough time, and with primitive treatments,” he says. “I give the founders enormous credit for their vision and faith.”
At the time the organization began, rheumatic fever was a major challenge. Today, many problems faced 75 years ago are no longer problems. Instead, rheumatologists concentrate on more focused treatment questions for conditions such as RA, Dr. Pisetsky says. “We’ve made big advances in bone disease, but again, there are new questions. There are more public health questions now,” he says. “Any time you have a lot of success, there’s always the question of how you build on it.”
Vanessa Caceres is a medical writer and editor in Florida.
Reference
- American Rheumatism Association. A 50-Year Retrospective, 1934–1984. ARA; 1984.
