More than 10 years ago, New York Times journalist Thomas Friedman opined an old-world perspective that the world is, in fact, flat. In an article published on April 3, 2005, Mr. Friedman contended that “Individuals must, and can, now ask: Where do I fit into the global competition and opportunities of the day, and how…
On May 12, ACR leaders representing the Board of Directors, the Affiliate Societies Council and the Committees on Government Affairs and RheumPAC took the ACR’s policy message to Capitol Hill. There is power in numbers, so we hope you will participate in your own Virtual Hill Day by visiting Legislative Action Center and letting your…
Soon, biosimilars will be available as treatment options for our patients. Biosimilars are being introduced to the U.S. market in the hope that they will spur competition and drive down the price of these expensive medicines. Previous articles in The Rheumatologist have touched on various issues surrounding these new therapies, and everyone in the rheumatology…
Dear Friends and Colleagues, With your strong support and commitment, RheumPAC has grown again for the eighth straight year, allowing us to do even more on your behalf. Not only did we exceed our original goal by raising more than $150,000. More importantly, these donations came from nearly 350 ACR and ARHP members—a new record….
There is no denying that the past few years have been a time of immense change in healthcare. Sweeping pieces of legislation have fundamentally altered the way we practice medicine. This is absolutely the case when it comes to the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA, for short). MACRA is an enormous…
Dramatic advancements in research toward prevention and cure are at risk, as federal research funding for rheumatic diseases has declined by 40% over the past five years. With that, an alarming number of rheumatologists are preparing for retirement. To stop this worrying trend, a strategic plan for the next five years was developed to complement…
Arthritis is the primary cause of disability among U.S. military veterans and the second most common reason for medical discharge from the U.S. Army. One in three veterans is diagnosed with arthritis, compared with one in five members of the general U.S. population. It is important to keep in mind that these statistics reflect only…
Since 2005, the ACR’s Committee on Research has been responsible for advancing the research goals of the organization and providing leadership in research and research training in rheumatology via the ACR’s Research Agenda. The ACR Research Agenda is designed to address critical areas of research in rheumatic diseases, including the need for new technology, new…
Over the past several years, the ACR has collectively ramped up its advocacy efforts. Under the leadership of the Government Affairs Committee and with the combined advocacy efforts of many ACR/ARHP members and their patients, we made considerable progress advancing priority issues in 2015. With the ongoing effort of ACR members and patients, we can…
Joseph Holoshitz, MD, and his laboratory have made significant advances in understanding a genetic risk factor of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This knowledge has grown into discoveries that could lead to new RA treatments in just a few years. “There was a critical point in time when we had a big idea, but funding was a…