Three researchers talk about how their findings in gene identification, imaging biomarkers and stem cell-based therapies are leading to more effective treatments for osteoarthritis.
Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in the United States, affecting more than 46 million people and costing the economy more than $128 billion a year in lost productivity and direct medical costs. Osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease, is the most common form of arthritis, affecting more than 27 million in the U.S.—more than any other joint disease—and costing the economy a staggering sum of over $60 billion a year.
Over the Arthritis Foundation’s 61-year-long history, it has supported the training of more than 1,300 postdoctoral fellows in arthritis research, including many who have gone on to devote their careers to the study of osteoarthritis. In addition to training grants, the Arthritis Foundation has funded over $400 million dollars in research—$150 million in osteoarthritis research alone.
While the Foundation is dedicated to funding arthritis research, it is also committed to educating government agencies such as the Department of Defense (DOD) about the impact a debilitating disease like osteoarthritis has on national security. Those efforts are now paying off.
For more information, please visit www.arthritis.org
