Guest guest Posted October 14, 2008 Report Share Posted October 14, 2008 Arthritis Research Campaign Reproduced from Issue 121 of Arthritis Today Jul 2003 " A good drug? " Unsung and under-valued, methotrexate is now the most widely used drug used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. So why the bad press? Jane Tadman reports. This summer the current anti-TNF therapies infliximab and etanercept are due to be joined by a third drug, adalimumab. This is good news for patients for severe rheumatoid arthritis, certainly, because these drugs – also known as biologics – have been proved to offer a new lease life for some patients debilitated by the effects of long-term disease. However, since the anti-TNF drugs became available in the UK nearly three years ago, only a small number of RA patients have benefited from them, mainly because of high cost, shortage of supply, or patient unsuitability. For the majority of patients with moderate RA who will never get near anti-TNF therapy, chances are they will be on either sulphasalazine, or more likely methotrexate. ************************************************ Read the rest of the article here: http://www.arc.org.uk/news/arthritistoday/121_2.asp Not an MD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 14, 2008 Report Share Posted October 14, 2008 Hi : A great article on MTX. I am very pleased with all my blood work and x-rays. My Rheumy is very happy that all my RA meds. are doing a good job. The MTX is a tried and true drug for RA, and I am glad I can take my injection each week successfully. I do take the Folic Acid as Leucovorin, 12 hours after each MTX injection. I have never regretted taking MTX. What terrible shape I would be in without it. Always enjoy your research articles. Thanks so much. Hugs, Barbara --- On Tue, 10/14/08, <Rheumatoid.Arthritis.Support@...> wrote: From: <Rheumatoid.Arthritis.Support@...> Subject: [ ] ARTICLE - " A good drug? " " " < > Date: Tuesday, October 14, 2008, 6:20 AM Arthritis Research Campaign Reproduced from Issue 121 of Arthritis Today Jul 2003 " A good drug? " Unsung and under-valued, methotrexate is now the most widely used drug used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. So why the bad press? Jane Tadman reports. This summer the current anti-TNF therapies infliximab and etanercept are due to be joined by a third drug, adalimumab. This is good news for patients for severe rheumatoid arthritis, certainly, because these drugs – also known as biologics – have been proved to offer a new lease life for some patients debilitated by the effects of long-term disease. However, since the anti-TNF drugs became available in the UK nearly three years ago, only a small number of RA patients have benefited from them, mainly because of high cost, shortage of supply, or patient unsuitability. For the majority of patients with moderate RA who will never get near anti-TNF therapy, chances are they will be on either sulphasalazine, or more likely methotrexate. ************************************************ Read the rest of the article here: http://www.arc.org.uk/news/arthritistoday/121_2.asp Not an MD ------------------------------------ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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