Skip to main content

News

Top 10 Pharma R&D Budgets in 2023

Pharma budgets have undergone significant changes coming out of COVID. This year Merck & Co. has knocked Roche from previous years of leading in research and development (R&D) budgets and investments.

Insights on Postinfectious ME/CFS

The medical community is challenged by myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, or ME/CFS - its origins, pathogenesis outcomes and treatment.  JAMA has reviewed a recent Nature paper wherein an NIH led team of multidisciplinary experts performed an inpatient study of postinfe

Ides of March (3.15.2024)

Dr. Jack Cush has advice for Caesar and the superstitious, and covers pregnancy, platelets, dialysis and vaccinations in Lupus.

MMWR: Vaccination and Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children

CDC

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a rare but serious condition typically occurring 2–6 weeks after SARS-CoV-2 infection and characterized by fever and multiorgan involvement.  The current MMWR report shows that MIS-C case numbers have decreased by 98% since 2021.

US Trends in RA DMARD Use 2017-2021

A trend analysis of DMARDs shows that only half of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients are taking DMARDs, and that the COVID-19 pandemic substantially affected DMARD use. Despite numerous DMARD advances and evolving treatment guidelines since 1990, older therapies are still commonly used and the latest agents make up a small percentage of overall DMARD use.

Again, a High Mortality with Depression and RA

Last week we reported on a Korean study showing a 66% elevated mortality risk in RA patients (n=38,487) with depression.

9 Facts about Leflunomide

Medscape has published an informative review of leflunomide, drawn from Dr. Eric Ruderman’s recent lecture on the subject at the February RWCS meeting in Maui.

Hidradenitis Suppurativa-Related Autoinflammatory Syndromes

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a suppurative inflammatory skin disorder that is considered to be autoinflammatory by many. HS includes a specturm of disorders, linked by suppurative (or psoriatic) skin disease and potentially genetics.

JAMA Review of DMARD Use in Rheumatoid Arthritis

JAMA has reviewed the "2022 EULAR Recommendations for the Management of Rheumatoid Arthritis With Synthetic and Biological Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs". 

Mixed Long-term Effects of Calcium and Vitamin D in Postmenopausal Women

A follow-up analysis of a randomized clinical trial found that the use of calcium and vitamin D supplements among postmenopausal women was associated with decreased risk for cancer mortality, but increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality.

Effective Treatments for Still's Disease

A systematic review of pharmacological treatments for adult-onset Still disease (AOSD) supports the efficacy of tocilizumab (TCZ), anakinra (ANK), and canakinumab (CNK).

Depression and RA (3.8.2024)

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, journal reports and regulatory approvals from the past week.