The British Society for Rheumatology Biologics Register: 6 years on

Abstract

The introduction of anti-TNF and other biological therapies for the management of patients with RA has significantly improved the outcome for patients with severe disease. However, despite demonstrated safety compared with placebo in early clinical trials, there were still many uncertainties about their long-term safety, particularly with respect to serious infection and malignancy. There was also concern about rare and unexpected adverse events. In contrast, the possibility existed that by reducing levels of inflammation it might be possible to reduce the risk of atherosclerosis. Against this background, the British Society for Rheumatology (BSR) proposed to develop a large prospective epidemiological study, to monitor patients with RA receiving these drugs in the UK.