Documentation of off-label use of biologics in Rheumatoid Arthritis

摘要

The 'Updated Consensus Statement on Biological Agents for the Treatment of Rheumatic Diseases' represents the consensus and efforts of a worldwide group of experts regarding the use of biologies in Rheumatoid Arthritis. That document details the use of biologies in registered uses for those drugs. However, the biologic agents are used 'off label' in a very large array of other rheumatic diseases. To some degree, those uses are based on animal studies and mechanistic rationale but they often also represent the need to treat ill patients who have not responded to other approaches.