The development of arthritis is an underappreciated reason why individuals become impoverished -- a finding that was particularly pronounced for women, an Australian study found.

Most Americans value the prescription products the drug industry produces, but they sure don't like the prices and want the federal government to take action, according to a new survey

CDC has released the findings of its 2013 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), with 5 questions addressing different forms of disability - vision, cognition, mobility, self-care, and independent living. Overall, 22.2% of U.S. adults (53,316,677 persons) reported any disability.

Several news articles have addressed the rising concern by patients and physicians over the cost of newer drugs. This issue comes to a head as more than 100 oncologists from top cancer hospitals around the U.S.

Recently released 2015 Medscape resident salary & debt report shows that most medical residents are satisfied with their compensation, professional relationships, and career choices.

Historically, women’s salaries have lagged behind their male colleagues. Women are less likely to achieve leadership roles or be full professors at academic institutions.

With three months until the switch from ICD-9 to ICD-10 coding, CMS and the AMA have announced efforts to continue to help physicians get ready ahead of the October 1 deadline.

ACP has endorsed the Supreme Court ruling that the premium subsidies created by the Affordable Care Act, essential to making coverage affordable to millions, will continue to be available in states where the federal government manages their health insurance marketplaces.

A large ACP survey of over 18,000 US internal medicine residents shows they often incorporate cost of care in discussions and decisions, but may not know the data (citation source http://buff.ly/1KeLq0D).

The National Institute for Heath and Care Excellence has turned down Otezla for coverage under the U.K. healthcare system for psoriatic arthritis.

Between 2010 and 2013, $95 billion in branded pharmaceutical patents will have expired, leading to significantly higher sales opportunities for those manufacturing generics and biosimilars.

The global knee implants market was USD 8.4 billion in 2011, and it's forecasted to reach USD 15 billion in 2018, with compound annual growth rate of 8.64% during 2011 to 2018. The U.S.

Researchers from the University of Manchester investigated self-reported adherence to biologic treatment in RA and found that 41% of patients were non-adherent to adalimumab therapy at least once, and 23% were nonadherent overall. http://bit.ly/1KA2

25% of Medicare beneficiaries with rheumatoid arthritis use high-cost biologics.  Yazdany and coworkers have analyzed a national cohort of beneficiaries and compared Medicare part D plans.

A US Preventive Services Task Force recommends DEXA screening in women >65 yrs and only in women 65 yrs if there is a significan risk of fracture.  Amarnath and coworkers studied 50,995 women in primary care, aged 40-85 years, between 2006-2012.

The manufacturers of the 2 best selling TNF inhibitors, Enbrel and Humira, have announced a 9.9% price increase of May 1st. The current average price of Enbrel is $42,000 per annum.

According to the Federal Trade Commission biosimilars have the potential to save the U.S. healthcare system $250 billion through 2022.

Researchers at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston prospectively studied 107 RA patients with regard to oral medication (DMARDs, steroids) adherence. They report that adherence was low, ranging from 58-71% overall.

In the last 12 months, levothyroxine (Synthroid) was the most prescribed drug in the USA  with 21.6 million prescriptions. Adalimumab (Humira) had 8.3 billion in sales, followed by etanercept (Enbrel) at nearly $6 billion. 

Medicare released its list of the most costly medicines presribed in 2013.