New research examined the use of transcranial direct current stimulation over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of the brain to modulate attention in patients with fibromyalgia. The study found that the active current increased heat pain threshold and tolerance. However, a regression analysis showed the effect on executive attention appeared to be independent of the effect on pain…
The clinical practice guidelines for managing Sjögren’s syndrome, developed by the Sjögren’s Syndrome Foundation with the ACR, were designed to improve quality and consistency of care. In total, 19 recommendations were agreed on, which include managing the rheumatic and systemic aspects of the disease. Recommendations include a decision tree for the use of DMARDs for inflammatory musculoskeletal pain, use of self-care measures and exercise to reduce fatigue, and the use of rituximab in selected clinical settings for oral and ocular dryness…
(Reuters)—The governor of Kansas on Thursday vetoed a bill expanding eligibility for Medicaid under the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA), saying he could not support legislation that provided tax dollars to Planned Parenthood and failed to meet other requirements he has laid out for expansion. State lawmakers in the Republican-controlled senate voted in favor of…
The ACR Insurance Subcommittee (ISC) regularly engages with insurance companies to discuss concerns raised by ACR members and advocate for appropriate coverage and payment policies. The ISC has gotten off to a busy start in 2017, working on a variety of patient access and reimbursement issues. Two recent issues the ISC has taken action on…
(Reuters)—U.S. Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill sought on Tuesday details from the nation’s top opioid drugmakers on their sales and marketing practices, as lawmakers step up efforts to tackle the country’s deadly opioid crisis. The Missouri senator’s investigation comes amid an epidemic of opioid addiction, with 91 Americans dying everyday as a result of overdose, according…
(Reuters)—The Kansas Senate gave final approval on Tuesday to a bill expanding eligibility for Medicaid under the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA) even though the measure faces a likely veto by Republican Governor Sam Brownback. The 25-14 Senate vote followed the House’s 81-44 passage of the bill last month, with the vote totals falling short…
Introduction: Major advances in the past two decades have enhanced our understanding of the complex interactions between the immune system and cancer cells and their environment. Genetic and epigenetic alterations in tumor cells result in the expression of diverse antigens that can elicit an immune response, primarily mediated by T cells. Immune responses are regulated…
(Reuters Health)—In states that legalized medical marijuana, U.S. hospitals failed to see a predicted influx of pot smokers, but in an unexpected twist, they treated far fewer opioid users, a new study shows. Hospitalization rates for opioid painkiller dependence and abuse dropped on average 23% in states after marijuana was permitted for medicinal purposes, the…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—A new position paper from the American College of Physicians (ACP) aims to reduce administrative tasks in health care. Reducing these tasks has been an important long-term objective of ACP, which developed the Patients before Paperwork initiative in 2015 as part of this effort. In a publication online on March 27 in…
When compared with TNFIs, ustekinumab demonstrated a longer drug survival rate in patients with severe plaque psoriasis…