News
JOIN and get access to the Video Library and Literature Central which more than doubles the size of the public website.
New RA Biologic Approved by the USA
RINVOQ is for the treatment of adults with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis who have had an inadequate response or intolerance to methotrexate. Use of RINVOQ in combination with other JAK inhibitors, biologic DMARDs, or with potent immunosuppressants, such as azathioprine and cyclosporine, is not recommended. Produced by Abbvie for adults only.
The More Than Meditation Course
The Only medically directed course in Melbourne now in it’s 17th year. Aiming to assist those with pain, fatigue and autoimmune disorders. Dragon Claw promotes The Lewis Institute which is operated by Dr Daniel Lewis, rheumatologist and adviser to us. The course starts on 27 February in Melbourne. More details here.
Vitamin D and Calcium
The taking of prednisone over time encourages bone density loss. As one gets older sourcing vitamin D from sunlight may be less efficient and this may encourage your bones to lose some of their strength, all other things being equal. For older people vitamin D can improve muscle strength. The academic research is somewhat mixed as to how effective vitamin D by itself is to reduce fracture risk. Vitamin D, however, when taken as a supplement with calcium is effective in reducing bone fracture risk. Too much can have the opposite effect. If you are on a biologic for your RA, the impact on bone density is unclear. The association between RA and an increased risk of heart disease is quite strong. The benefits of calcium in this group remains controversial. Read the full article in Quick Reads in Literature Central (members only).
Are you a carer of someone with a chronic or complex illness?
Researchers at the University of Canberra are looking to explore the connection between patient-caregiving relationships, chronic/complex illnesses and carer wellbeing. We are looking for adults who provide informal care for another adult with a chronic or complex health condition such as heart disease, respiratory illnesses, cancer, diabetes, neurological disorders, arthritis or mental illness etc. All you need to do is complete an online survey which should only take 10 minutes of your time. If you are interested, contact PhD student, Kath Carleton
Psoriatic Arthritis Foot Study
Invitation to take part in a national survey about foot problems among people with psoriatic arthritis. Every completed survey counts and will make such a valuable contribution to our limited understanding of how foot problems-related to psoriatic arthritis impact the daily life of those affected and their wider family.
To complete the online survey please click the link here
If you would like a paper copy of the survey (with stamped address envelope) sent please let
If you would like more information about our study please visit our website.
Eliminate Stress
4 Keys To Resilience And Peace is a multimedia program designed to teach you proven skills that will help you to eliminate stress and create new levels of inner strength and calm within yourself. This is the pathway to finally achieving all that you want in life and enjoying it to the full! Go here
P. Gingivitas and Alzheimer's
Gum disease is caused by a bacteria called P. Gingivitas which can lead to heart disease if not corrected. In the February edition of the New Scientist gum disease has now been linked to Alzheimer's, the most dominate type of dementia. A number of recent research articles back this up. Bottom line, clean and floss your teeth regularly.
New Lupus Drug
A long drought has broken in drug development for systemic lupus erythematosus, with anifrolumab succeeding at Phase III where so many other agents have failed.
Pain Research Centre
“At the end of the day, lower back pain is more than just a pain in the back for so many Australians. Six million Australians have impacts on their quality of life, on their ability to work, and of course chronic pain can contribute to mental health impacts.” Hon Greg Hunt, Minister for Health
For the first time Australia will have a research centre dedicated to arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions. Back pain alone accounts for more than 40 percent of forced early retirements in Australia and is associated with poor quality of life, lower income and mental health issues. Low back pain is the leading cause of disability globally.
The NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence for the Australia and New Zealand Musculoskeletal (ANZMUSC) Clinical Trials Network, based at the Cabrini Institute at Monash University in Melbourne, will advance research and will enable clinicians, researchers and consumers to work together to deliver better treatments and outcomes for people with musculoskeletal conditions. The centre will collaborate with 23 universities, 21 hospitals and 10 research institutes. It will work closely with consumers and consumer organisations to shape its research agenda, and with policy makers to ensure that discoveries are rapidly translated into improved care.You can access the ANZMUSC here
Videos
Don't miss our extensive video collection under the main menu - Video Library. The content covers everything from gut bugs to hand exercises. New videos are added monthly.
Survey
ARAD is a national Australian database which collects important health information from individuals with inflammatory arthritis. If you would like to participate in the survey Go Here and look for ARAD bottom left.
Quick Reads
Want to learn about your condition but can't read scientific articles? No problem. Dragon Claw provides short simple summaries of some of the best and makes them available just for you the Member under the sub-menu item Quick Reads, once you have registered.
Street Art
As you move through the site and its many sections you will notice unusual art works, usually at the top of each main section. More will be added as time goes by. These images are street art from Sydney, Australia. We are using these images (with permission) to make the site distinctive and memorable. We particularly wanted to move away from clinical images and happy smiling faces which are so routine these days. Hope you like the images.