International Arthritis Summit: Frontiers in Osteoarthritis Research, Prevention and Care

Orthopedic surgeons, heumatologists, scientists and biomechanical engineers— experts in the major research and clinical aspects of the disease—as well as leaders from the pharmaceutical, device and insurance industries will be among 35 speakers discussing a wide range of topics. The two-day-long event will take place at the Richard Menschel Conference Center at HSS on Friday, June 17, starting at 9 a.m., and on Saturday, June 18, starting at 8 a.m.  

Among the subjects to be explored:

• How can we identify those at risk of developing OA, as well as those who may be in the initial stages of the disease before they develop symptoms?
• How effective are different strategies for preventing OA, including weight control, exercise and gait modification?
• What are the underlying disease mechanisms? What is known about the role of biomechanics, joint injury, inflammation and aging in the disease onset and progression? 
• What are the benefits and challenges associated with current medical and surgical treatments for OA? What is the promise of more effective medical, surgical, and new tissue engineering strategies for disease prevention and treatment?
• How can we work together to more effectively improve outcomes?

The conference will feature distinguished speakers from the National Institutes of Health, the Arthritis Foundation, Hospital for Special Surgery, Rush Medical Center, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Tufts, Wake Forest, Duke University, McGill University in Canada, the University of Sydney, Genzyme Biosurgery, Pfizer, Inc., Zimmer, Inc., and Aetna.

“We believe the Osteoarthritis Summit will provide vital information about the research, care and innovation necessary to improve the lives of millions of people suffering from OA,” Dr. Goldring said. “Hospital for Special Surgery is proud to be a leader in raising awareness of osteoarthritis and promoting critical research and best practices in patient care.”

For a complete list of topics and speakers, go to

http://www.hss.edu/files/OASummitAgenda2011.pdf

About Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA), the most common form of arthritis, is a serious and painful joint disease that limits mobility and impairs quality of life. Most often affecting the hip and knee, half of all adults will develop symptomatic OA of the knee at some point in their lives.

The socioeconomic burden of the disease is staggering. The economic impact is $128 billion: $81 billion for direct health care expenditures and $47 billion in indirect costs related to lost earnings.[1]  OA results in 992,000 hospitalizations and 44 million outpatient visits annually.[2]  More than 770,000 hip and knee replacements are performed each year in the United States.[3]