Michele B. Kaufman, PharmD, BCGP, is a freelance medical writer and editor. She is also a pharmacist at New York Presbyterian Hospital–Lower Manhattan campus. She has been a past guest lecturer at Touro College of Pharmacy in New York City for the Medical Writing elective. Dr Kaufman is a member of the New York City Society of Health-Systems Pharmacy, the New York State Council of Health-System Pharmacists, the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP)—Northeast Region Affiliate Chapter, the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists and the Empire State-Metropolitan NY Chapter of the American Medical Writers Association. She received her BS in Pharmacy from the University of Rhode Island (URI) College of Pharmacy and her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Sciences in Boston. She also completed a Drug Information Fellowship at the URI Drug Information Center/Roger Williams Medical Center in Providence, R.I. Dr Kaufman is a registered pharmacist and is a Board-Certified Geriatric Pharmacist.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have been used therapeutically since the 1960s.1 Evidence of adverse cardiovascular outcomes led to the withdrawal of the selective COX-2 inhibitor rofecoxib in September 2004, when the question of cardiovascular safety of NSAIDs first came into the limelight.2 Valdecoxib (Bextra) was subsequently withdrawn from the market in April 2005 due to…
A recent study showed that at moderate doses celecoxib may be noninferior with respect to cardiovascular safety compared with ibuprofen or naproxen…
The FDA is considering an application for subcutaneous rituximab and has approved an application for etanercept to treat pediatric patients with plaque psoriasis…
A retrospective study showed that patients who have rheumatic disease and develop tuberculosis may be able to resume anti-TNF therapy and other biologic agents…
Due to manufacturing deficiencies found during a routine inspection by the FDA, approval of sarilumab for treating RA has slowed until facility issues are resolved…
A recent study established the equivalency of BI 695501, a biosimilar, to its reference product, adalimumab, for treating patients with rheumatoid arthritis…
A recent analysis found that about 10% of RA patients taking tofacitinib do not follow recommended guidelines and more than half stop treatment by one year…
To speed the development of tocilizumab to treat giant cell arteritis (GCA), the FDA designated it as a breakthrough therapy earlier this month…
The use of proton pump inhibitors may lead to changes in bone mineral density and an increased risk of developing osteoporosis…
A study found that ixekizumab decreases disease activity and increases physical function in biologic-naive patients with active psoriatic arthritis…