Almost three years ago to the day, I did a podcast entitled, "I wanna new drug." As I go over this week's podcast, I want to say it again. I want a new drug safe enough to use during pregnancy, for PMR, for GVHD, and more. I'm going to cover these, and other topics including lupus, COVID breakthrough infections, and statin use and the risk of RA, as I review the news and journal articles from the past week on RheumNow.

Inclusion body myositis (IBM) patients tend to be older than those with idiopathic inflammatory myositis (IIM), but the scope of disease beyond their myositis is not appreciated.

Smartphones and diet; COVID-19 and the numbers - reassuring or not, and what about masks?; and do more drugs mean more switching, less persistence, and patient adherence goes up...or down? All this and more news and journal reports in this week's episode.

Patients with dermatomyositis who were positive for a myositis-specific antibody had a much higher incidence of and mortality associated with Pneumocystis jirovecii infection than patients with other antibody-negative idiopathic inflammatory myopathies, Chinese researchers found.

Following is a statement from ACR President David Karp, MD, PhD, on JAK inhibitors and FDA drug safety communication.

This week: high science that affect future treatments; breakthrough infections in our patients, and what's up with that; and soon your radiologist is going to be replaced by AI. This and more in our review of the news and journal articles from the past week.

The FDA has again extended its decision on whether the manufacturers of vaping products can market their e-cigarettes in the United States.

A retrospective study of systemic sclerosis patients shows that acute hospitalization and mortality were not uncommon and were often linked to SSc-related lung disease.

Dr. Jack Cush is joined by Drs. Roy Fleischmann (Dallas), Allan Gibofsky (NYC), and Artie Kavanaugh (San Diego) to discuss the 9/2/21 FDA Drug Safety Communication regarding the cardiovascular and cancer risks arising from the Pfizer 1133 (ORAL Surveillance) tofacitinib study, but also applied to baricitinib and upadacitinib.

A current report in Arthritis & Rheumatology examined the Nurses Health Study II data set and shows that parental smoking, and passive exposure to children, can later lead to an increased risk of adult-onset incident seropositive rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

You know, I'm a very good driver. We all think we're great drivers - but consider what it's like to drive in pain: would you be a good driver? Also, I want you to consider the diagnosis of calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate disease (CPPD). But first, let's look at a study out of Scotland, looking at military service and greater risk of hip and knee replacement.

A EULAR task force has promulgated several points to consider in managing difficult-to-treat RA. These "points" are unique in directing the rheumatologist's attention to the potential for misdiagnosis and the impact of comorbid conditions on what is perceived as poorly controlled RA.