This supplement to The American Journal of Managed Care provides an overview of the diagnosis, pathophysiology, epidemiology, symptoms, assessment, and prognosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). It reviews the goals of treatment, approach to treatment, and monitoring of outcomes in patients with RA with currently available therapies. Special focus is placed on the role of newer biologic agents and their comparative data. This supplement also describes the direct and indirect costs associated with RA, with a focus on treatment-related costs, the role of specialty pharmacy and managed care, and mechanisms to provide disease management that optimizes economic outcomes.Faculty
William J. Cardarelli, PharmD
Director of Pharmacy Revenue and Supply
Atrius Health
Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates
Watertown, Massachusetts
Allan Gibofsky, MD, JD, FACP, FCLM
Professor of Medicine and Public Health
Weill Medical College of Cornell University
Attending Rheumatologist
Hospital for Special Surgery
New York, New York
Editorial Support
Andrew Scott Mathis, PharmD
Pharmacy Department
Monmouth Medical Center
Long Branch, New Jersey
Faculty Disclosures
These faculty have disclosed the following relevant commercial financial relationships or affiliations in the past 12 months.
William J. Cardarelli, PharmD, has no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose.
Allan Gibofsky, MD, JD, FACP, FCLM
Consultant/advisory board, honoraria, lectureship, stock ownership: Abbott, Amgen, Genentech, Pfizer, and UCB
Stock ownership: Johnson & Johnson; GlaxoSmithKline
Andrew Scott Mathis, PharmD, has no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose.
The American Journal of Managed Care
Publishing Staff—Jeff D. Prescott, PharmD, RPh; Kara Guarini, MS; and Ida Delmendo have no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose.
Pharmacy Times Office of Continuing Professional Education and Physicians’ Education Resource, LLC
Planning Staff—Judy V. Lum, MPA; and Elena Beyzarov, PharmD, have no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose.
Signed disclosures are on file at the office of The American Journal of Managed Care, Plainsboro, New Jersey.
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