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…
Health Canada has approved adalimumab for treating chronic non-infectious anterior uveitis in patients 2 years and older…
In a recent study, ixekizumab proved safe and effective in treating adults with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and plaque psoriasis compared with adalimumab…
Recent post-hoc analyses of two Phase 3 clinical trials show that RA patients with high interleukin 6 levels taking sarilumab experienced improved symptoms and less joint damage than those using other treatments…
Take the challenge. C—This claim cannot be coded without querying the infusion nurse and physician. There must be documentation of the patient’s weight to document the correct dosage of the medication to be given to the patient. Also the start time and the completion time of the infusion must be documented to know which drug…
A 70–year-old female patient with rheumatoid arthritis affecting multiple joints who is rheumatoid-factor positive but without organ or system failure returns for her third infliximab infusion. She is scheduled to receive 500 mg of the drug. How should this encounter be coded? 96413, 96415, J1745 x 50; ICD 10: M05.79 96413, 96415, J1745 x 50;…
According to new data, BMS-986165, an oral, selective tyrosine kinase 2 inhibitor, may be safe and effective for treating plaque psoriasis…
(Reuters)—On Tuesday, Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones filed a complaint on behalf of the State of California against AbbVie Inc., alleging the drugmaker gave illegal kickbacks to healthcare providers to prescribe its blockbuster drug, Humira. The regulator alleged that AbbVie engaged in a far-reaching scheme including cash, meals, drinks, gifts, trips and patient referrals, as well…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—In patients with active non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA) who achieved remission while taking adalimumab, researchers saw fewer flares among those who continued taking the drug than among those who stopped taking it. “The results showed that continued therapy with adalimumab was associated with a higher rate of maintenance of remission compared with…
AMSTERDAM—As more biosimilar drugs for rheumatic diseases make their way to market, evidence is growing that switching from the originator drug to a biosimilar tends to be effective, while the questions of switching back and forth, and switching multiple times using several different biosimilars, remain to be answered, an expert on the topic said at…