New research published in The Lancet Rheumatology shows that Asian patients are half as likely to be prescribed biologic drugs for rheumatoid arthritis compared to White patients in England and Wales. The study, which analyzed data from over 6,000 patients, also found that people over 65 were 60% less likely to receive biologics than those under 40. Additionally, Asian women were prescribed biologics less often than Asian men or White men, despite no differences in socioeconomic status, other health conditions, or treatment responses. The study highlights significant disparities in access to these highly effective drugs.
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It’s troubling to see such disparities in access to effective treatments like biologics, especially when factors like socioeconomic status and health conditions aren’t causing the differences. The fact that Asian women are particularly affected is even more alarming. Do you think this gap in prescribing biologics could be related to unconscious bias in healthcare, or might there be other factors at play, like differences in how patients advocate for their treatment options?
It’s alarming to see such significant differences. It makes you wonder what factors are contributing to these inequalities. Do you think this could be related to systemic biases in the healthcare system, or are there other factors at play?
Thank you for sharing this research—it’s eye-opening and underscores critical disparities in healthcare access. The fact that Asian and older patients with rheumatoid arthritis are significantly less likely to receive biologic treatments, despite equal need and response, highlights the need for greater equity in treatment options. It’s particularly concerning that these differences exist even after accounting for socioeconomic factors and other health conditions.
This bias within healthcare has been a huge problem with barely any progress in the last twenty years, but it’s good to see new studies looking into it. Hopefully it will lead to some policy change!