Looking beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, one practice has combined its telemedicine functionality with long-term workflow solutions, including telemedicine technology that integrates with its electronic health records system…
Transitioning to a Virtual Practice: Q&A with Lisa Criscione-Schreiber, MD, MEd
A quick shift to virtual teaching and patient care is just one of many changes rheumatologists at Duke University are adapting to during the COVID-19 pandemic…
Join the ACR COVID-19 Clinical Guidance Town Hall: May 6
In response to the recently published clinical guidance for the care of adult patients with rheumatic diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic, the ACR is hosting a virtual town hall for the rheumatology community on Wednesday, May 6, at 7–8 p.m. EDT, to review the recommendations. Moderated by ACR President Ellen M. Gravallese, MD, and ACR…
3 U.S. Children with COVID-19 Have Rare Inflammatory Syndrome
CHICAGO (Reuters)—Three U.S. children infected with the coronavirus are being treated for a rare inflammatory syndrome that appears similar to one that has raised concerns by doctors in Britain, Italy and Spain, a specialist treating the patients told Reuters. All three—who range in age from 6 months to 8 years—have undergone treatment at Columbia University…
Trial of Gilead’s Potential Coronavirus Treatment Running Ahead of Schedule
(Reuters)—A key U.S. government trial of Gilead Sciences Inc.’s experimental coronavirus treatment may yield results as early as mid-May, according to the study’s lead investigator, after doctors clamored to enroll their patients in the study. Preliminary findings from the randomized trial of the antiviral drug remdesivir, begun in February by the National Institute of Allergy…
Sarilumab Trial Data Shows It May Only Help Critical COVID-19 Patients
(Reuters)—On April 27, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Sanofi SA said on Monday that their arthritis drug sarilumab (Kevzara) may only help the sickest patients with COVID-19, dampening hopes that the therapy could potentially reach a larger pool of patients with the disease. The drugmakers said they would test high doses of sarilumab only in critically…
U.S. FDA Warns Against Using Hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19
(Reuters)—On April, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cautioned against the use of malaria drug hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) in COVID-19 patients even as President Donald Trump, who has touted it as a “game changer,” advocated for an additional review. The drug, first approved in 1955, provided no benefit and potentially higher risk of death for…
FDA Cautions Slower Drug Review Activity Due to Staff Reallocation for COVID-19
(Reuters)—On April 16, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) cautioned that with a lot of its staff allocated to the coronavirus crisis, it may not be able to sustain its current level of timely reviews and approvals of marketing applications. FDA says it was working to ensure that the drug programs continue to see…
Novartis to Test Efficacy of Old Malaria Drug Against COVID-19
ZURICH (Reuters)—Swiss drugmaker Novartis AG says it will test the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) in a randomized trial to see if the much talked about medicine is actually effective against COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus. The company hopes to have data on its efficacy by June, a lead researcher for the trial…
Forging New Ways to Teach in Response to COVID-19: Q&A with Anisha Dua, MD, MPH
Unable to connect with rheumatology fellows and patients in person, Anisha Dua, MD, MPH, and a team of rheumatologists have worked quickly to find new ways to communicate and share resources. Dr. Dua directs rheumatology medical education and the fellowship training program at Northwestern Memorial Hospital (NMH), Chicago. She spoke with The Rheumatologist about how…