In today’s rapidly evolving healthcare landscape, rheumatologists face a growing number of challenges. Advocacy is a critical tool that helps protect and advance the profession and the patients it serves.

Subcategories:EthicsLegal UpdatesLegislation & AdvocacyResearch Rheum
The ACR/CHEST ILD Guidelines in Practice, a video
In collaboration with the American College of Chest Physicians, the ACR released two new comprehensive guidelines aimed at improving the screening, monitoring, and treatment of patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) secondary to systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARDs). Recently, Sindhu R. Johnson, MD, PhD, professor of medicine at the University of Toronto, Canada, director of the Toronto Scleroderma Program and principal investigator for the guideline, and Elana J. Bernstein, MD, MSc, Florence Irving associate professor of medicine in the Division of Rheumatology at Columbia University, New York City, and co-first author, presented a webinar to talk about how the guidelines were developed and present some of the recommendations and their rationale: Watch the recording now!

In today’s rapidly evolving healthcare landscape, rheumatologists face a growing number of challenges. Advocacy is a critical tool that helps protect and advance the profession and the patients it serves.
Check out this quick guide to advocacy events and programming that will help you leave Chicago informed and ready to be an advocate for the rheumatology community back home.

Leslie Mertz, PhD |
The largest changes include additions that address harmful payer policies, telemedicine authorization and patient compensation funds.
The National Council of Insurance Legislators (NCOIL) 2025 Summer Meeting, held July 16–19 in Chicago, Ill., included discussion of several policy issues relevant to rheumatology.
As the program enters its third round of negotiations, ACR members should be aware of several upcoming changes relevant to rheumatology.

At the recent Association of Women in Rheumatology annual conference, AWIR and ACR leaders discussed advocacy’s important role in supporting equitable rheumatologic care.
On July 31, President Trump sent formal letters to the CEOs of 17 major pharmaceutical companies, laying out several requirements the companies must meet within 60 days or face unspecified consequences. These include Most-Favored-Nation pricing for Medicare, Medicaid and private markets.
A 15% tariff on all European Union exports, including pharmaceuticals, went into effect on Aug. 7. The tariff could impact the cost of providing care, patient access to therapies and drug research and development.
A July 30 memo from Attorney General Pam Bondi clarifies how federal anti-discrimination laws apply to programs that might involve discriminatory practices, including those that fall under the umbrella of diversity, equity and inclusion.
Joseph Cantrell, JD |
With 20 partner organizations, the ACR submitted a letter to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., urging the reinstatement of the terminated experts and reaffirming its commitment to science-based immunization policy.