Exclusive: ACR Convergence 2024| Focus Rheums

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

Generic Drug Group Sues to Block Maryland Price-Gouging Law

Nate Raymond  |  

(Reuters)—The main U.S. trade group for generic pharmaceutical companies filed a lawsuit on Thursday seeking to block a recently adopted Maryland law that lets the state attorney general sue generic drugmakers that sharply raise prices. The Association for Accessible Medicines filed the lawsuit in federal court in Baltimore to seek an injunction that would block…

Congress Must Shore Up Insurance Markets If Obamacare Repeal Fails

Reuters Staff  |  

WASHINGTON (Reuters)—U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said on Thursday that Congress must act to shore up private health insurance markets if it fails to repeal Obamacare, comments seen as providing a pathway to a bipartisan deal to fix the health system. Speaking at a luncheon in his home state of Kentucky, McConnell said,…

ACR Pushes for Patient Interests, Against Spending Cuts

Angus Worthing, MD, FACP, FACR  |  

Greetings from Washington, D.C. Your advocacy team had another busy month. Unlike my prior updates, and in order to keep our focus on health policy, I avoid mentioning anything about Washington investigations into obstruction of justice, collusion, etc. You get enough of that elsewhere. The Healthcare Bill Obamacare repeal and reform efforts are speeding up….

ACR Offers Hands-On 101 Course in Advocacy

  |  

The ACR’s Advocacy 101 course will be held Sept. 24 in Washington, D.C. The course is an interactive, intensive, full-day opportunity for fellows in training and program directors to learn about and become inspired to advocate for the continued strength of rheumatology recruitment and support for education, research and clinical practice. Course applications will be…

Changes in BMI Associated with Improvements in Disease Activity & Glucocorticoid Treatment

Arthritis Care & Research  |  

A recent study examined the relationship between increased BMI and antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody–associated vasculitis treatment with glucocorticoids. The results: Weight gain was independently associated with reductions in disease activity, increased glucocorticoid exposure and randomization to rituximab. The most significant increases in BMI occurred during the first six months of treatment, and newly diagnosed patients were more likely to experience an increase in BMI…

Being Active May Reduce Risk of Chronic Low Back Pain

Shereen Lehman  |  

(Reuters Health)—Regularly engaging in physical activity, from walking to intense exercise, may help to reduce the risk of chronic low back pain by, as much as 16%, according to a new review of previous studies. In the past, it hasn’t been clear whether physical activity staves off low back pain, or people without back pain…