CHICAGO—“Why do so many drugs fail in clinical trials?” asked Michael Brenner, MD, chief of rheumatology, immunology and allergy at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. This question, previously posed by Francis Collins, MD, PhD, director of the National Institutes of Health, prompted a discussion among scientists and stakeholders in the pharmaceutical industry. The conversation…
As questions about biosimilar medications swirl among U.S. rheumatologists, a recently released report sheds some light on the European experience with biosimilars—and may offer some important insights for the U.S. market. The report, Biosimilars in the EU: Information Guide for Healthcare Professionals, was released in late April by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the…
After having had juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) for 20 years, I had a moment in my journey when I realized something new: “Your arthritis doesn’t just affect you, you know,” my sister said. This statement stopped me in my achy tracks. For two decades, I had been operating under the assumption that JIA was my…
Osteoporosis Screening The aphorism, “Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it,” applies to The Rheumatologist August 2017 article that documents the continued low screening rates for those at high risk for osteoporosis-related fragility fractures, in particular people older than 65 and those who have suffered a fracture already. So here’s a…
ACR advocates recently returned to Capitol Hill to meet with members of Congress as part of the Advocates for Arthritis fly-in conference on Sept. 26. This annual event brings together rheumatology professionals to advocate on behalf of the rheumatology community. Core issues on which the advocates focused this year include lowering the out-of-pocket cost of…
The ACR Early Career Investigators (ECI) Subcommittee has organized two sessions at the 2017 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting in San Diego. These sessions are devoted to serving the needs of early career investigators including junior faculty, fellows, graduate students and post-docs. Both sessions provide unique opportunities to optimize the research landscape for early career investigators. Mentoring…
Connect with colleagues at the Basic Research Conference (BRC) and the Clinical Research Conference (CRC) pre-meeting courses at the 2017 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting! The ACR has an exceptional array of research leaders lined up for this year’s BRC and CRC courses on Friday, Nov. 3, and Saturday, Nov. 4, in San Diego. Get ready to…
The Rheumatology Research Foundation and the ACR are committed to advancing the future of rheumatology to support patients living with rheumatic diseases. These organizations are focused on addressing one of the most critical issues facing patients and rheumatology today—the growing shortage of rheumatology professionals. The ACR’s 2015 Workforce Study revealed the dire need for support…
An Unforgettable Story Her name was unforgettable. Not only did we share our given names—Simon and Simone, but her French-Canadian surname was based on this appellation, too. I was the junior resident working on our hospital’s nephrology service when she was admitted for evaluation of progressively worsening kidney disease and an overall failure to thrive….
Take the Challenge. ICD-10 Codes R76.1—Raised antibody titer L20.8—Other atopic dermatitis R20.2—Paresthesia of skin R20.1—Hypoesthesia of skin CPT Codes 99358 and 99359 Rationale The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) typically does not allow separate payment for physician services that do not require face-to-face time with a patient, but as of Jan. 1, 2017,…