Every year, science and technology is coming out with new treatments for RA. Many of these treatments are still in the experimental stage. If you suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, you may be asking yourself “can experimental treatments help my RA?”
All of the current treatments for RA started as an experimental drug or treatment. They do not become “accepted” treatments until they have undergone testing, clinical trials, etc. Only at that point do experimental treatments become part of the commonly accepted treatment regimen for rheumatoid arthritis.
So, today’s experimental treatments will b e tomorrow’s treatments. At a recent meeting of the American College of Rheumatology, researchers considered this very idea. In fact, they reviewed several promising drugs on the up and coming list, though for today they are still considered experimental. They have to finish Phase II and II testing, and then have to be submitted to approval to the FDA.
One of the most promising new experimental drugs is called Baminercept. Used in combination with methotrexate, it has caused some meaningful improvements in the ACR scores of test patients. (the ACR refers to the American College of Rheumatology core measurements for new drugs.) Patients are experiencing lessening pain and reduced inflammation.
Another promising drug is called Cimzia. It has shown promise in being able to reduce the amount of joint damage that often goes along with RA. It may even act to help repair joints.
Perhaps the best way to find out if experimental treatments can be used for your rheumatoid arthritis therapy is to ask your doctor about participating in drug trials. In many cases, these trials will be provided at no cost. You will need to fit the criteria needed for the experiment though.
If you go outside the realm of experimental drugs, you can also find experimental treatments available. Past experimental treatments included tai chi, acupuncture, and the use of herbal supplements like turmeric. In the case of experimental therapies, they may not require special circumstances to participate, like a drug trial would. You may want to have a discussion about current therapies under study.
So, can experimental treatments help your RA? They might very well be able to help. Do some research on the subject, have a discussion with your physician, and go from there. At the least, many of the treatments will cause no harm. Who knows, your next helpful treatment may be just around the corner.