ACR Convergence 2025| Video: Rheuminations on Milestones & Ageism

An official publication of the ACR and the ARP serving rheumatologists and rheumatology professionals

Ethics

Incarcerated Individuals with Rheumatic Conditions

Katherine Terracina, MD, & Prajakta P. Masurkar, PhD  |  

In addition to the impediments to consistent, high-quality care suffered by all incarcerated individuals, incarcerated patients with rheumatic disease face challenges specific to the treatment, management & monitoring of rheumatic conditions.

Ethical Concerns in Rheumatology Require Nuance

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Patient autonomy in healthcare decisions and physician conflicts of interest are just two areas of ethical concerns that arise frequently in rheumatology. Dr. Kelly Weselman discusses ethical dilemmas and how to address them.

Are You an Active Ally?

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“What we’re after here is something called active allyship,” said Dr. Dwinita Mosby Tyler, CEO and founder of The Equity Project in her keynote address at ACR Convergence 2024. “It’s where you witness something that might be an injustice or you might see a disparity, and you don’t just talk about it, you research it; you do something about it.” 

The Ethical Tug-of-War Over Biosimilar Adoption

Karen Ferguson, MS, & Richard L. Allman, MD, MS, FACP, FACR  |  

The advent of biosimilar medications has offered the promise of significant cost savings for healthcare systems and patients. Biosimilars are highly similar versions of existing biologic drugs, providing a more affordable alternative once the original biologic patent expires. However, the adoption of biosimilars in the U.S. has been hampered by myriad roadblocks, many of which…

The 7 Virtues of Rheumatology We Should Cultivate

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1949 was a momentous year—astronomer Fred Hoyle coined the term Big Bang, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was formed, and Rodgers and Hammerstein’s classic musical South Pacific opened on Broadway.1 Much less recognized was the publication of an essay by Richard Asher, FRCP, titled the “Seven Sins of Medicine.”2 Although it’s over 75 years…

Ethics Forum: The ACR Code in Practice

Prajakta Masurkar, PhD, MPharm, & Charis Meng, MD  |  

Ethical conduct is the cornerstone of any professional organization, particularly when its decisions have an impact on public health. The ACR recognizes the importance of upholding ethical standards and has established a Code of Ethics to guide its members. Here we explore the practical application of the ACR’s Code of Ethics.1 Manage Potential Conflicts Central…

Ethics Forum: Regarding Chatbots in Rheumatology

Biana Modilevsky, DO, & Kabita Nanda, MD  |  

Chatbots are not a new concept, but have recently gained popularity and traction. Launched in late 2022, ChatGPT (Chat Generative Pre-Trained Transformer) is a web-based platform designed to simulate interactive conversations and deliver real-time data. It has quickly become a tool that provides instantaneous information that can be more focused than a Google search.1 We,…

Ethics Forum: The Current Landscape of Artificial Intelligence in Medicine

Jeanne Gosselin, MD  |  

A handful of articles on artificial intelligence (AI) have graced the pages of this publication in the past six years, including one by Bharat Kumar, MD, in November 2022. Dr. Kumar highlighted the exciting potential of AI in rheumatology, including machine learning (ML) algorithms for the prediction of response to methotrexate and a predictive model…