The May 6 event brought together patients, physicians and advocates to challenge misconceptions and advocate for sustained investment in rheumatology research.

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The ACR/CHEST ILD Guidelines in Practice, a video
In collaboration with the American College of Chest Physicians, the ACR released two new comprehensive guidelines aimed at improving the screening, monitoring, and treatment of patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) secondary to systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARDs). Recently, Sindhu R. Johnson, MD, PhD, professor of medicine at the University of Toronto, Canada, director of the Toronto Scleroderma Program and principal investigator for the guideline, and Elana J. Bernstein, MD, MSc, Florence Irving associate professor of medicine in the Division of Rheumatology at Columbia University, New York City, and co-first author, presented a webinar to talk about how the guidelines were developed and present some of the recommendations and their rationale: Watch the recording now!

The May 6 event brought together patients, physicians and advocates to challenge misconceptions and advocate for sustained investment in rheumatology research.
This week, the Coalition sent Congressional leadership a letter detailing the results of a recent survey about how underwater biosimilars are impacting physicians’ ability to provide high-quality care. Almost all of the nearly 200 practices queried reported being underwater on several biosimilars, with rituximab and infliximab biosimilars being the most common.

Deborah Levenson |
Injected abatacept may be a worthwhile treatment for certain patients with idiopathic inflammatory myositis (IIM), according to recent research.1 Patients with the rare autoimmune conditions involving inflammation of muscle (myositis) and other organ systems suffer widespread organ dysfunction, increased morbidity, physical disabilities and early death. Symptoms vary by subtype. For example, dermatomyositis (DM) involves muscle…

Risk of Mortality from SLE By Ansaam Daoud, MD, Loai Dweik, MD, & Omer Pamuk, MD Why was this study done? Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease with significant mortality, particularly affecting racial and ethnic minorities. This study aimed to assess national SLE mortality trends over the past two decades, stratified by…

Many rheumatology researchers share concerns about the landscape for future opportunities, given recent pressures from the current presidential administration. These may make an already challenging environment even more difficult for academic physicians to successfully navigate. But many in the field will persevere despite obstacles, driven by the need to deepen understanding of these conditions and…

Initial findings from a phase 2b clinical trial demonstrate the safety and efficacy of three different daily doses of SAP-001 to lower the serum urate levels of patients with refractory gout.

In visits to Congress members and staff, more than 120 ACR/ARP members and patients urged action to improve patient access to quality treatment. The meetings included discussions about the importance of research funding, ensuring adequate Medicare reimbursement, protecting Medicaid, and making PBMs more transparent and accountable. It’s not too late to amplify their message.
On April 30, Rebecca Shepherd, MD, MBA, and Amanda Myers, MD, represented rheumatology in a live town hall on the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program, describing the benefits of apremilast and nintedanib for patients with rheumatic disease.
When ACR volunteer leaders, members and patient advocates head to Capitol Hill in May, they will urge members of Congress to protect Medicare and Medicaid against cuts, restore research funding and reform pharmacy benefit managers for better transparency and accountability.
The annual matching campaign will run through May, coinciding with the ACR’s Advocates for Arthritis event. If you have not made your 2025 donation yet, now is the best time to invest for the largest impact.