News
Karolinska Scandal May Undermine the Nobel Prize
Nature reports that the Karolinska Institute and the affiliated Karolinska Hospital are being scrutinized for violations regarding stem cell research in patients without sufficient pre-clinical research, research ethics approval, or approval from regulatory authorities.
Is Biologic Safety Different in the Elderly?
The factors that influence the safety of biologic therapy are numerous. Amongst them, increasing age is a potential risk factor, moreso if you also consider the polypharmacy, comorbidities and longer disease duration inherent in an elderly group of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.
AMA Policy on Freebies and Meals Clarified
A recent JAMA Internal Medicine report on pharmaceutical-sponsored meals disclosed that a $20 meal provided by a drug company could yields 2-5 times more prescriptions. (Citation source http://buff.ly/2cd58i0)
EMRs Causing Physician Burnout
Researchers suggest that the burden of EHRs could contribute to physician burnout. The findings of a time and motion study are published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
RheumNow Week in Review – 2 September 2016
Dr. Jack Cush reviews highlights from this week in RheumNow:
Flares Portend Damage in Rheumatoid Arthritis - Time for a New Strategy?
Disease flares are common in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), often causing patients to seek additional care, if not medication.
The frequency of flares varies amongst studies in different populations. But the consequence of flares has only recently been studied.
Cost of Osteoporosis Care in the USA
The 2010 NHANES study suggests that the overall prevalence of osteoporosis (OP) in the USA is ~10% or 10.2 million older adults (> 50 yrs) had osteoporosis.
NIH Discovers Otulipenia - New Infantile Autoinflammatory Disorder
Researchers at the National Institutes of Health, led by Dr. Dan Kastner, have led the way in the discovery and understanding of numerous autoinflammatory diseases.
Another Biosimilar Approval - Etanercep-szzs by Novartis
Yesterday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a new biosimilar, Erelzi, (etanercept-szzs), for the same multipile indications as the originator Enbrel, including rheumatoid arthritis, plaque psoriasis, Erelzi, will be generically labelled as etanercept-szzs.
HMGB1 as a Biomarker for Polymyositis and Dermatomyositis
High mobility group box chromosomal protein 1 (HMGB1) is a DNA-binding protein that functions as a structural co-factor. HMGB1 is actively secreted by macrophage/monocytes via inflammatory stimuli and is elaborated during apoptosis.
FDA Approves Updated Denosumab Warnings
In 2015, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) updated the warnings of all marked bisphosphonates to include the risk of osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) and atypical femoral fractures (AFF).
