In 2021, OrACORe was appointed as the Coordinating Center for the Arthritis Foundation’s Osteoarthritis Clinical Trials Network (OACTN) focused on post-traumatic knee osteoarthritis (PTOA). This award offers great opportunities to collaborate with esteemed colleagues in pursuit of research questions that advance our understanding of PTOA and its prevention and treatment. Read more about the OACTN here: https://www.arthritis.org/science/oa-clinical-trial-network/about-oactn

Read Brigham on a Mission's interview with Dr. Losina on our OAPol analysis of the cost effectiveness of TKA in patients with a BMI of 40 or greater. Read the original study here to learn more about our findings.

Dr. Jamie Collins, OrACORe faculty member and senior statistician, was recently named the inaugural recipient of the Rising Star Clinical Research Award at OARSI Connect 2021! The Rising Star Award was created to recognize contributions from mid career researchers. Congratulations to Dr. Collins!

A recent OAPol study found that performing total knee replacement (TKR) in patients with a BMI greater than or equal to 40 is cost effective. These patients are sometimes denied surgery due to an increased risk of complications, however our analysis found that TKR can offer good value, even for those with multiple co-morbid conditions. Read the Brigham press release…

A recent OAPol analysis published in Arthritis Care & Research found that the total societal cost of lifetime opioid use in American patients with knee osteoarthritis is approximately $14 billion. Only 53% of this total societal cost is due to direct medical costs. Read the article by Healio Rheumatology here.

A modeling study led by Dr. Losina and published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that a mandatory mask-wearing policy with extensive social distancing could prevent 87 percent of infections among students and faculty on college campuses. Click here to read the Brigham's press release on the study and its findings.

An OAPol analysis published earlier this month in Arthritis Care & Research found that adding duloxetine to usual care for knee OA patients with moderate pain, regardless of depressive symptoms, is cost‐effective. Click here for the coverage of these findings by Healio Rheumatology.

The fifth annual event honoring V-Day will take place on Thursday, Feb. 6th, 4-5:30 p.m., in Bornstein Amphitheater. V-Day is a celebration of female empowerment and is held to recognize, and begin to remedy, issues of violence against women and girls. The Brigham event will occur in concert with hundreds of other V-Day events taking place nationally and internationally. This…