Throughout the UK and around the world, research into the causes, treatments and care of IA has greatly improved. The advancement of biologic disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs in the late 1990’s and 2000’s was a turning point for treatment. They were the first drugs to target specific parts of the immune system available to treat IA. The addition of JAK inhibitors, which block another part of the immune system, have also improved the treatment pathway for patients.  

The management and care of IA has also developed over the years to improve the quality of life for anyone living with IA. Many years ago, the medical advice was to rest when any joint was flaring, however we now know that exercise/movement is for the best to keep the joints active and to keep the muscles surrounding the joint strong and doing nothing can damage the joints even more.

There are still many unknowns regarding IA, and ongoing research can help fill these gaps. It is vital that the voice of those with lived experience is part of research. Both our founders have been involved in research. Debbie sits on many research steering groups and has been Cluster Consortium Champion for many years, making sure the voice of those with lived experience, especially children and families, are included in research projects. She has also worked with early career researchers to show the importance of working with patients/families and the impact their research can have for improving the lives of those living with IA.

IAUK aims to support research that helps improve the lives of anyone of any age living with IA. If you are a researcher and your project aligns with our vision and mission, please do get in touch below. Please note while we aim to support research as much as possible, we must reserve the right to decline a research proposal if we feel it does not contribute to our mission and vision of the charity or due to our limited resources.