Time is Running Out to Support Juvenile Arthritis Registry

The deadline to support the juvenile arthritis registry is quickly approaching.  Comments or letters to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) must be received by July 14, 2009.  Have you sent your letter to the FDA yet?

If you have not sent a letter yet or have no earthly idea what I am talking about, see this June 30, 2009 blog post: Contact FDA Now for Juvenile Arthritis Registry!

The Arthritis Foundation makes it easy to send your letter.  They already created a letter of support with all of the pertinent information and you can add your own story or message to it as well. 

I sent in my letter with a personal note that if a juvenile arthritis registry existed when I was diagnosed with JRA almost 3 decades ago, my treatment may have been much different.  Because juvenile arthritis should be treated as quickly as possible to prevent long-term complications, pediatric rheumatologists need as much relevant information as possible to effectively treat patients.

Help the children who have juvenile arthritis or those that may be diagnosed with it in the future.  They need your voice.  Send your letter today!

If you need help with it, let me know.  I am happy to help in any way I can.

FDA Approves New Ankle Replacement!

It’s time to do your happy dance if you have arthritic ankles desperately in need of surgical intervention!  Here’s why.  On May 27, 2009, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the Scandinavian Total Ankle Replacement (STAR) System.

The STAR system is different from other total ankle replacements in that it may keep some range of motion in the joint.  According to the FDA release, “The new prosthesis is a mobile-bearing device, which relies on bearings that move across a surface of polyethylene, a flexible plastic. The device is the first of its type.”

The STAR system has been through clinical trials here in the U.S. and has been used in other countries.  According to Small Bone Innovations, Inc., the owner of the STAR system, “the S.T.A.R. Ankle has a 30 year development history” and “is designed to mimic normal ankle movement and function through its three functional components.”

So, congratulations to Small Bone Innovations, Inc. and to all the people that will have a better quality of life because of it!

Cimzia Drug Approved for Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment

Great news for rheumatoid arthritis patients!

UCB announced yesterday, May 14, 2009, that their Cimzia (certolizumab Pegol) drug was recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of moderate to severe active rheumatoid arthritis. 

According to UCB, “Cimzia® is available in an exclusively designed, patient-friendly, prefilled syringe resulting from the UCB partnership with OXO®. The new syringe carries the Arthritis Foundation(TM) Ease-of-Use Commendation.”

If Cimzia sounds familiar to you, it may be because the drug was already approved for the treatment of Crohn’s disease in April 2008.  This recent approval brings hope and another treatment option for patients with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis.

See UCB’s press release for more information regarding the FDA approval.

As soon as the FDA approval announcement is released, it will be posted here for you.

Warning: Stop Using Hydroxycut Products Now!

We know that having arthritis makes it difficult to work out or lose weight.  If you have been taking Hyrdroxycut to help you lose weight, stop now! 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)is warning consumers to stop using Hydroxycut products immediately.  According to the FDA, “some Hydroxycut products are associated with a number of serious liver injuries.”  There have been reports of one death due to liver failure, the need for liver transplants and other health problems.

Iovate Health Scienceshas agreed to recall their Hydroxycut products.  The following Hydroxycut products are included in the recall:

• Hydroxycut Regular Rapid Release Caplets
• Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Rapid Release Caplets
• Hydroxycut Hardcore Liquid Caplets
• Hydroxycut Max Liquid Caplets
• Hydroxycut Regular Drink Packets
• Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Drink Packets
• Hydroxycut Hardcore Drink Packets (Ignition Stix)
• Hydroxycut Max Drink Packets
• Hydroxycut Liquid Shots
• Hydroxycut Hardcore RTDs (Ready-to-Drink)
• Hydroxycut Max Aqua Shed
• Hydroxycut 24
• Hydroxycut Carb Control
• Hydroxycut Natural

Not all Hydroxycut products are being recalled.  However, if you have been taking any of the Hydroxycut products in the recall listed above, stop taking them and return them to the place of purchase or throw them away.

For more information regarding the recall, see today’s FDA announcement and information from Iovate Health Sciences.

New Drug Approved for Some Types of Arthritis

Great news! The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved a new drug for three types of arthritis. 

If you have moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis, active psoriatic arthritis or active ankylosing spondylitis, this drug may be for you.

The drug is called ”Simponi” (golimumab) and is a product from Centocor Ortho Biotech (the same company that produces Remicade).  Simponi is a tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a) blocker.  The best news is that it is a monthly injectable treatment for adults.  Not weekly or biweekly…MONTHLY!

Other TNF-a blockers currently on the market are Enbrel (etanercept), Humira (adalimumab), and Remicade (infliximab).  Enbrel is a weekly injectable; whereas Humira is injected every other week.  Remicade is an infusion treatment.  Timing of infusions varies depending on type of arthritis.

If you have moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis, active psoriatic arthritis or active ankylosing spondylitis, check with your rheumatologist to see if this drug may a good treatment option for you.

For more information about the approval announcement, see the FDA press release.

TNF-Blocker Users At Risk For Fungal Infections

originally published on 9/5/08

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a press release on September 4, 2008 indicating manufacturers of TNF-Blockers need to highlight the risk of fungal infections for patients taking those TNF-blockers. 

According to the FDA, “Patients taking TNF blockers should be aware that they are more susceptible to serious fungal infections.”  Additionally, “health care professionals are not consistently recognizing cases of histoplasmosis and other invasive fungal infections, leading to delays in treatment.”  Some of these cases even resulted in death.

The medications involved are Humira, Enbrel, Remicade, and Cimzia.  They are commonly used to treat some forms of arthritis and Crohn’s disease.  If you are taking one of these biologic drugs, then check out the press release for further details.  It is a must read!