World Arthritis Day 2024: Informed Choices, Better Outcomes

On October 12, World Arthritis Day will raise awareness about the realities of living with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs) and to advocate for better research, education, and patient support. On this day, we are all reminded of our collective responsibility to empower those affected by RMDs – including women and their families who lack concrete data and clear guidance about disease management and treatment, particularly during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

This year’s theme – “Informed Choices, Better Outcomes” – underscores how important it is for people living with RMDs to make informed, evidence-based decisions in partnership with their healthcare teams. Despite the notion that there is an overwhelming amount of information for people with RMDs to access, this is simply not the case for women in their childbearing years who seek robust and relevant data. 

So much of my role at UCB as the Global Head of Women of Childbearing Age has centered around the idea that women need to be protected through research, not from research. We cannot allow women with chronic diseases to be continuously overlooked in clinical research due to perceived liability and risk. Although progress has been made in this space, additional work is needed to create a more balanced view in clinical research. 

Supporting World Arthritis Day 2024 and uniting with a global community dedicated to bringing evidence and research to patients is a step in the right direction. There is great power in collaboration, and it begins with facing the challenge head-on and recognizing that there is more work to be done to help improve patient outcomes. 

Join us in raising awareness by sharing this post and supporting research initiatives. Together, we can support those living with RMDs and strive for a future where everyone can live their lives to the fullest without fear or uncertainty of how certain disease management decisions will impact them or their families. Thank you for joining us in this important cause.

Follow me, @MarieTeil, on LinkedIn as well as UCB’s social channels for more updates.