July 29, 2021 A new study showed that people with lupus experienced significant physical and emotional effects in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Including LRA Scientific Advisory Board member Jane Salmon, MD, researchers at Hospital for Special Surgery and Tufts University in Boston invited 97 patients to complete a questionnaire in the […] READ MORE
August 5, 2021 Researchers at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital identified the series of molecules that guide a sub-set of immune cells, which may be key for future vaccine improvements and autoimmune therapies. These findings, published online July 7, 2021 in Nature, were funded in part by the Lupus Research Alliance (LRA). The immune system […] READ MORE
July 22, 2021 Leslie Meehan has lupus, but she is running the 2021 TCS New York City Marathon for her mom and all the others she knows who live with the many different forms of the disease. “Raising money for research is the best way I can help everyone.” Leslie continued, “One of the reasons […] READ MORE
July 22, 2021 Why is lupus so tough to treat? Why is it so difficult to test possible new treatments in a clinical trial? Why are so many people needed for a clinical trial to prove effectiveness? And how does LRA intend to Turn Lupus Complexity to Cure? The answers lie at the core of […] READ MORE
July 15, 2021 Dear Friends, With much excitement, we introduce our new overarching approach to fulfilling LRA’s mission: Turning Complexity to Cure. Our goal is to involve the lupus community and beyond in our strategy to turn the core problem of lupus – its heterogeneity – how much it differs from person to person – into its solution through […] READ MORE
July 12, 2021 Today the House Appropriations Committee released the fiscal year 2022 Defense Appropriations Bill with $10 million for the Lupus Research Program (LRP) in the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs operated under the Defense Health Program. We are thankful that Congress maintained the funding for this program, and we remain committed to advocating for steady and robust investment for this critical […] READ MORE
July 8, 2021 The Lupus Research Alliance is recognizing July’s designation as Healthy Vision Month by providing you with helpful information about its relevance to people with lupus from foremost authorities, the American College of Rheumatology and the American Academy of Ophthalmology. A medication commonly used to treat lupus inflammation, Plaquenil, can pose a risk to […] READ MORE
June 29, 2021 Today the House Appropriations Committee released the bill that funds the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The bill’s accompanying report, which expresses Congressional intent for the use of the funding, includes this language regarding lupus drug development, which the Lupus Research Alliance advocated for along with our lupus patient advocates: Lupus […] READ MORE
June 24, 2021 Men’s Health Month is the time to remind ourselves or the men in our lives to take stock of their physical and emotional wellbeing. Paying attention to symptoms you might rather ignore is the intent behind recognizing this month. While 90% of people with lupus are female, 10% are males – the […] READ MORE
June 24, 2021 For Men’s Health Month, we spoke to several men about their experience living with what is commonly thought of as a woman’s disease and one that too few people are familiar with. Many told us that they find people’s lack of knowledge about lupus extremely frustrating and are determined to educate others. […] READ MORE
June 24, 2021 Men often hear messages from society that can discourage expressing symptoms or concerns about health issues. One man we interviewed, Derek Bennett, spoke particularly powerfully about how this cultural pressure affected his being able to cope with the effects of lupus on his life. And Priscilla Toral, LCSW from Hospital for Special […] READ MORE
June 17, 2021 For Men’s Health Month and Father’s Day, we spoke with Clark Brigger about what it takes to be a great dad to a child with a chronic illness, and his 26-year-old son Erik,a young man with lupus. The answer – to share your personal strengths and do not strive for perfection. Erik […] READ MORE