Since 1996, October 12th is recognized as World Arthritis Day. A global initiative bringing people together to raise awareness of rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs), established by Arthritis and Rheumatism International (ARI) and managed by the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR).
The aim of World Arthritis Day is not only to raise awareness, but also to influence public policy and inform those living with RMDs as well as their families. These diseases usually do not result in high mortality rates, but they do restrict people’s independence and prevents them from performing their everyday activities and, in general, from having an adequate quality of life.
Therefore, today more than ever, patients and scientific organizations must join our voices to raise global awareness about arthritis-related symptoms and emphasize the importance of early diagnosis in order to access to ensure access to appropriate medical treatment as soon as possible.
There are many conditions that can be included in the spectrum of musculoskeletal disorders such as low back pain, rheumatoid arthritis and many other similar diseases that affect millions of people worldwide and are a major cause of disability.
Many of these disorders can be effectively prevented and controlled, thus reducing pain and disability, yet are often ignored by international, regional, and national policy makers, resulting in an increase in preventable disability.
On World Arthritis Day, together with our host, Dr. Diego Jaimes, Carlo Vinicio Caballero, editor-in-chief of Global Rheumatology, and some guests, we will discuss these issues over a coffee.
Today we are joined by Emma Pinzón, president of the Rheumatic Patient Foundation in Panama (In Spanish, Fundación del Paciente Reumático – FUNARP), member of the Pan American Association of Patients with Rheumatic Diseases (In Spanish, Asociación Panamericana de Pacientes con Enfermedades Reumáticas – ASOPAN) and with her Miguel Albanese, Uruguayan rheumatologist, former president of the Uruguayan Society of Rheumatology (In Spanish, Sociedad Uruguaya de Reumatología) and a member of the executive committee of PANLAR.