Resource Hub Try searching our resource hub to find the articles, videos, tools and publications most helpful for you. I am... Employer Health Professional Someone with RASelect topic... About NRAS Apni Jung info for South Asian community Community COVID-19 Diagnosis and Monitoring Diet and Exercise Events Family Planning Healthcare professionals Other Conditions Research Self-management Symptoms and Causes Treatment Work and BenefitsSelect resource type... Article Facebook Live NRAS Live Publication Video Clear All Article Sulfasalazine Background Sulfasalazine was introduced in the 1950s, initially to treat inflammatory bowel disease, but also for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) as it was believed then that bacterial infections were the cause of this form of arthritis. Following positive results from clinical trials in the late 1970s it was used more extensively in RA […] Article Hydroxychloroquine Background Chloroquine was developed in the 1930s as a treatment for malaria, but can cause serious side effects. Hydroxychloroquine was developed in the 1970s from chloroquine to have fewer side effects. Hydroxychloroquine is used widely for the treatment of lupus (SLE) but is also an established medicine for the treatment of RA. It is often […] Article Leflunomide The overactive immune system in RA causes pain, swelling, heat and redness. Leflunomide dampens down this process by ‘switching off’ the cells responsible for this overactivity. It may also work in several other ways. Leflunomide is a ‘prodrug’, which means that it is inactive when it is taken. It is converted into the active medicine […] Article ‘My Story’ animation Article Anti-TNFs Background The anti-TNFs were the first of the biologic medicines to be introduced for RA, starting with infliximab, in 1999. They are expensive to develop and produce, so were expensive for the NHS to buy. They had to go through appraisal by the National Institute for Health and CareExcellence (NICE), who determine whether or not […] Article Tocilizumab and sarilumab Original Biologic drug Method of administration Tocilizumab intravenous infusion, once every 4 weeks or weekly subcutaneous (under the skin) injection Sarilumab subcutaneous (under the skin) injection every other week Background Tocilizumab was at first only available as an infusion but more recently has become available in syringe and pen devices that can be self-administered. How […] Article Abatacept Original Biologic drug Method of administration Abatacept (Orencia) Monthly intravenous infusion or weekly subcutaneous (under the skin) injection How does it work? Abatacept works in a slightly different way to other biologic medicines. Abatacept targets white blood cells called T-lymphocytes, which regulate the activity of the immune system. It stops the T-lymphocytes from being switched […] Article Royal College of Nursing and NHS England briefing on biologics In the last 12 months, we have also been working on the NHSE Adalimumab Patient Working Panel regarding the introduction of Humira biosimilars (4 came to market end 2019). It has come to our notice that not all specialist nurses and allied health professionals are aware of or have seen the NHSE Briefing on Best […] Article Biosimilar adalimumab is a test of shared decision making in the NHS Co-written by the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society, National Ankylosing Spondylitis Society, RNIB, Birdshot Uveitis Society, Psoriasis Association and Crohn’s & Colitis UK. Adalimumab is one of several biological drugs used in the treatment of autoimmune inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, non-infectious posterior uveitis, Crohn’s and colitis. While some patients will […] Load more ↓
Article Sulfasalazine Background Sulfasalazine was introduced in the 1950s, initially to treat inflammatory bowel disease, but also for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) as it was believed then that bacterial infections were the cause of this form of arthritis. Following positive results from clinical trials in the late 1970s it was used more extensively in RA […]
Article Hydroxychloroquine Background Chloroquine was developed in the 1930s as a treatment for malaria, but can cause serious side effects. Hydroxychloroquine was developed in the 1970s from chloroquine to have fewer side effects. Hydroxychloroquine is used widely for the treatment of lupus (SLE) but is also an established medicine for the treatment of RA. It is often […]
Article Leflunomide The overactive immune system in RA causes pain, swelling, heat and redness. Leflunomide dampens down this process by ‘switching off’ the cells responsible for this overactivity. It may also work in several other ways. Leflunomide is a ‘prodrug’, which means that it is inactive when it is taken. It is converted into the active medicine […]
Article Anti-TNFs Background The anti-TNFs were the first of the biologic medicines to be introduced for RA, starting with infliximab, in 1999. They are expensive to develop and produce, so were expensive for the NHS to buy. They had to go through appraisal by the National Institute for Health and CareExcellence (NICE), who determine whether or not […]
Article Tocilizumab and sarilumab Original Biologic drug Method of administration Tocilizumab intravenous infusion, once every 4 weeks or weekly subcutaneous (under the skin) injection Sarilumab subcutaneous (under the skin) injection every other week Background Tocilizumab was at first only available as an infusion but more recently has become available in syringe and pen devices that can be self-administered. How […]
Article Abatacept Original Biologic drug Method of administration Abatacept (Orencia) Monthly intravenous infusion or weekly subcutaneous (under the skin) injection How does it work? Abatacept works in a slightly different way to other biologic medicines. Abatacept targets white blood cells called T-lymphocytes, which regulate the activity of the immune system. It stops the T-lymphocytes from being switched […]
Article Royal College of Nursing and NHS England briefing on biologics In the last 12 months, we have also been working on the NHSE Adalimumab Patient Working Panel regarding the introduction of Humira biosimilars (4 came to market end 2019). It has come to our notice that not all specialist nurses and allied health professionals are aware of or have seen the NHSE Briefing on Best […]
Article Biosimilar adalimumab is a test of shared decision making in the NHS Co-written by the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society, National Ankylosing Spondylitis Society, RNIB, Birdshot Uveitis Society, Psoriasis Association and Crohn’s & Colitis UK. Adalimumab is one of several biological drugs used in the treatment of autoimmune inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, non-infectious posterior uveitis, Crohn’s and colitis. While some patients will […]