Ongoing ACR advocacy efforts are working to keep biologic drugs accessible to rheumatology patients, defending the ability of rheumatology practices to use the complex chemotherapy codes for administration of biologic therapies.
A study has shown that in untreated patients with early RA, treatment with methotrexate combined with the biologic therapies abatacept or certolizumab-pegol resulted in greater CDAI remission rates than active conventional therapy with prednisolone, sulfasalazine or hydroxychloroquine.
Based on findings from a double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluating its efficacy and safety, rituximab-arrx has received FDA approval for the treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Although effective against rheumatic disease, biologic therapies come with hefty price tags. Patient assistance programs can be a useful resource to help under- and uninsured patients get the drugs they need.
Over the past few years, biosimilars and other new drugs have been introduced to treat rheumatic illnesses. Some of the conditions we treat have numerous drug options; others have few or only off-label options. This series, Rheumatology Drugs at a Glance, provides streamlined information on the administration of biologic, biosimilar and other medications used to…
Enabling rheumatology practices to use complex administration codes for biologic drugs is critical for maintaining patient access to essential therapies.
ACR CONVERGENCE 2021—Rheumatology patients who test positive for COVID-19 would benefit from early use of monoclonal antibodies, said Luis Ostrosky-Zeichner, MD, chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center (UTHealth), Houston, in a session about effective treatment options for COVID-19. Acknowledging that the SARS-CoV-2 virus has already…
ACR Convergence 2021—The Great Debate at the meeting sparked a thoughtful discussion on the future of lupus nephritis treatment strategies, with experts saying clinicians should be open to new ways of approaching patient care. In the past year, approvals of the monoclonal antibody belimumab and the calcineurin inhibitor voclosporin for use in lupus nephritis (when…
Cyltezo (adalimumab-adbm) may be interchanged for Humira (adalimumab) for all indications, according to an October decison by the FDA. The FDA has also approved a new combination of celecoxib and tramadol for pain management.