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

Time to Rethink Inpatient Rehab After Knee Replacement?

Megan Brooks  |  

NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Inpatient rehabilitation did not lead to better mobility following total knee replacement compared with a home-based program in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) conducted in Australia. The findings do not support inpatient rehabilitation for adults undergoing uncomplicated total knee arthroplasty, conclude the authors in JAMA on March 14.1 “Normally, one study is…

Spinal Underwear May Relieve Lower Back Pain

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A recent study in nurses and healthcare professionals examined the efficacy of a novel ergonomic aid for managing low back pain. After a three-month trial, researchers found that the aid, Spinal Underwear, reduced low back pain, suggesting that musculoskeletal symptoms may be influenced by posture and somatization…

Agency’s Analysis of U.S. Republican Health Bill May Sharpen Resistance to Measure

David Lawder  |  

WASHINGTON (Reuters)—A non-partisan report released Monday on the costs of a Republican plan to replace the Obamacare healthcare law could harden opposition to the proposal, adding to the obstacles facing President Donald Trump’s first major legislative effort. The Congressional Budget Office, which provides official cost estimates for legislation, is widely expected to find the Republican…

Trump Chooses Gottlieb to Run FDA; Pharma Breathes Sigh of Relief

Toni Clarke  |  

WASHINGTON (Reuters)—U.S. President Donald Trump has chosen Dr. Scott Gottlieb, a conservative health policy expert with deep ties to the pharmaceutical industry, to lead the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the White House said on Friday. If confirmed by the Senate, Gottlieb would be in charge of implementing Trump’s plan to dramatically cut regulations governing…

U.S. Doctors in Training to Work Longer Hours Under New Guidelines

Andrew M. Seaman  |  

(Reuters Health)—Days may get a lot longer for some doctors in training after the group that oversees medical education in the U.S. rolled back controversial rules limiting the number of hours first-year residents may work. Beginning July 1, doctors in their first year of training after medical school may once again care for patients for…

As Biosimilars Hit, EU Pharma Warns against Blanket Prescribing

Reuters Staff  |  

LONDON (Reuters)—European drugmakers, faced with increasing competition from cut-price copies of complex biotech drugs, cautioned doctors on Thursday to take care when switching patients from an established product to biosimilar version. The complex nature of biological medicines, which are made inside living cells, means copies can never be exactly the same as the original. But…

Congress Reveals Proposed ACA Replacement

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Updated 3/9/2017 The ACR is closely monitoring the American Health Care Act proposed by Republicans in Congress and will produce an analysis. In the meantime, read the ACR’s letter to Congress on healthcare reform principles. You can also read a section-by-section summary of the Ways and Means legislation and a section-by-section summary of the Energy…

Moderate Alcohol Intake Decreases SLE Risk in Women

Arthritis Care & Research  |  

Beer, wine, liquor—alcohol contains elements that suppress systemic inflammation, and its consumption has been linked to reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and RA. A recent analysis examined the effect of alcohol on SLE risk in women from the two Nurses’ Health Study cohorts. The results: Researchers found an inverse association between moderate alcohol consumption and SLE risk—with a 39% reduction in SLE risk among women who consumed about half a drink of alcohol daily…