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  • What We're Working On
Rheumatoid Arthritis – Determining the best treatment for each person
RA-Best-Treatment-PLS-image
Scientific Study Title:
Living Systematic Reviews of Pharmacological Treatments for Rheumatoid Arthritis
Start Date:
  • 2021
End Date:
  • 2025
Research Category
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Why do this research?

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a disease that involves inflammation of the joints, tendons and the tissues surrounding the joints. It can limit a person’s ability to carry out activities and lead to a reduced quality of life. For some patients it can lead to joint destruction, severe disability, and disfigurement. There are several treatments available for RA and treatment options are constantly increasing. Basing recommendations for treatment on the most up to date information is important for good patient care.

What will be done?

We will create a new approach for identifying, updating and assembling new information on treatments for RA. We will compare the various treatments with each other so that we can determine which treatment is most beneficial or harmful. In addition we will be identifying and constantly updating and including new information on treatment for RA as it becomes available. We will also identify the best treatment for patients with RA based on previous treatment history. The results of this study will allow for informative discussions between patients and clinicians.

The Research Team

Principal Investigator

  • Glen Hazlewood, MD, PhD, FRCPC, Research Scientist, Rheumatology, Arthritis Research Canada (University of Calgary)
  • Peter Tugwell, MSc, MD, FRCPC, Professor and holder of the Canada Research Chair in Health Equity, (University of Ottawa)
  • George Wells, MSc, PhD, Professor, School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, (University of Ottawa)

Co-Investigators

  • Nick Bansback, MSc, PhD, Research Scientist, Health
  • Economics, Arthritis Research Canada (University of British Columbia)
  • Claire Barber, MD, PhD, FRCPC, Research Scientist, Rheumatology, Arthritis Research Canada (University of Calgary)
  • Jesse Elliott, MSc, PhD, Health
  • Economist, CADTH
  • Mohammed Kamso, PhD Candidate (Biostatistics)
  • McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health, (University of Calgary)
  • Shannon Kelly, MSc, PhD (c)
  • Lara Maxwell, MSc, Research Coordinator, (University of Ottawa)
  • Funding Agency; Canadian Institutes of Health Research

How Can People Get Involved?

The project will use data that is already collected so there is no participant recruitment.

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