The FDA is reviewing supplemental Biologics License Applications for golimumab to treat polyarticular JIA and juvenile PsA…

The FDA is reviewing supplemental Biologics License Applications for golimumab to treat polyarticular JIA and juvenile PsA…
Lisa Rapaport |
(Reuters Health)—U.S. commercial health plans only covered biosimilar treatments as preferred products in 14% of coverage decisions last year, according to an analysis of publicly available data on coverage decisions.1 Researchers examined records from the Tufts Medical Center Specialty Drug Evidence and Coverage (SPEC) database, which has information on coverage decisions made by 17 of…
Marilynn Larkin |
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Patients treated with biologic therapy for rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and psoriasis don’t appear to be at increased risk of melanoma, according to the results of a systematic review and meta-analysis. However, because the study found trends toward increased melanoma rates with long-term therapy, “a clinically meaningful increase in risk cannot…
Catherine Kolonko |
At the Loma Linda University Medical Center, Calif., rheumatologists play a key consulting role for COVID-19 patients who may benefit from the use of biologic treatments…
Recent research examined the use of apremilast in patients with psoriatic arthritis using the Clinical Disease Activity in Psoriatic Arthritis (cDAPSA) measurement. The findings suggest patients with moderate disease activity at baseline benefit most from the treatment…
Kimberly Retzlaff |
SNOWMASS VILLAGE, COLO.—Current trends in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) therapy are the increased use of newer medication categories, such as Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors (Jakinibs) and biologics, and the rising costs of treatment. Unchanged is the consistent use of methotrexate as an effective therapy. These topics and more were discussed at the ACR Winter Symposium during…
Kimberly Retzlaff |
SNOWMASS VILLAGE, COLO.—Janus kinase inhibitors—or Jakinibs—are a relatively new class of disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) that perform well and have a safety profile comparable to biologics. This group of drugs was the subject of The New Frontier: Comparative Safety of JAK Inhibitors, a presentation given at the ACR Winter Symposium by Kevin L. Winthrop, MD,…
Vania Lin, MD, MPH, & Leah Krull, MD |
Clinically amyotrophic dermatomyositis (CADM), a subset of dermatomyositis (DM), is a rare autoimmune disease characterized by typical DM cutaneous findings (e.g., heliotrope rash, Gottron papules, Gottron sign) without evidence of myositis.1 The incidence of DM and CADM is approximately 9.63 per 1 million people and 2.08 per 1 million people, respectively.2 The association with development…
Christopher Phillips, MD |
Jane’s* hands and wrists had been swollen and painful for about eight weeks. Lab findings in the ambulatory consult that came to our office revealed a cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody count >250 u/mL. We all know where this story goes, including how important the early treatment window is. Our clinic reviews all consults and tries…
Philip C. Robinson, MBChB, PhD, FRACP |
Editor’s note: We are sad to announce that we have learned of the passing of Dr. Philip C. Robinson. We will share more as it becomes available, but in the meantime, we wanted to repost this article he wrote for The Rheumatologist early in the pandemic. Dr. Robinson also took the photo of the full-arc rainbow below.