US rheumatologists continue to increase use of biologics for RA treatment

Biologic agents remain the preferred treatment for patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to a new survey of US rheumatologists from Decision Resource unit BioTrends Research.

Compared to a year ago, the use of biologics continues to increase, especially in those patients with severe RA. However, one-third of patients across the severity scale are still not achieving an optimal response with biologics, indicating both an unmet need and an opportunity.

Rheumatologists discontinue the use of a biologic for a variety of reasons, and a couple of the top reasons are safety/tolerability concerns and insufficient efficacy. When a patient is switched from one biologic to another, the main reasons are poor response and efficacy plateauing. Insurance issues and the cost to the patient are also important factors in both discontinuation and switching decisions.