UCLA Gets $2.8 Million to Develop Test to Diagnose Sjögren Syndrome

Scleroderma Foundation eLetter

eLetter #424

Greetings!

To Our Youngest Scleroderma Supporters

We Need Your Winter-themed Art

There's one week left to get us your artwork. We're in need of some creative drawings, sketches, watercolors etc. from our youngest friends! We're searching for the best winter-themed piece to be on the Foundation's holiday greeting card.

To enter, you must be 15 or younger. Email your drawing, along with the artist's name, age, city and phone number, to Mary Ann Berman at maberman@scleroderma.org by Friday, Nov. 4.

Good luck and happy drawing!

UCLA Gets $2.8 million to Develop Saliva Test to Diagnose Sjögren Syndrome

While much is known about the symptoms of Sjögren syndrome, the disease is complex and poorly understood, and in some cases, it can take more than six years to be diagnosed.

The UCLA School of Dentistry has received a $2.8 million grant from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, part of the National Institutes of Health, to support a multi-center clinical trial of a diagnostic test that uses patients' saliva to determine whether they have Sjögren syndrome. This simple, non-invasive test will permit a diagnosis within minutes, rather than the weeks currently required when using blood or other tissue samples.

Read the full press release on this exciting news from UCLA.

Why Are Big-Name Drugs Falling Off The 'Patent Cliff'?

Some of the most popular and expensive brand-name drugs are about to go generic.

Take Lipitor, for example. In November, the heart drug comes off-patent - and by next June, there are likely to be multiple generic versions.

With almost $11 billion in sales last year, it's the largest blockbuster to fall off what analysts call the "patent cliff." And it's just one of dozens of popular high-end pharmaceuticals whose prices are expected to plummet in the coming years, including drugs like Plavix (for heart disease), Seroquel (used to treat depression) and Nexium (for digestive problems.)

Read more from Kaiser Health News.

FDA Warns: Limit Black Licorice Consumption During Halloween

As it turns out, you really can overdose on candy -or - more precisely, black licorice. Days before the biggest candy eating holiday of the year, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) encourages moderation if you enjoy snacking on the old-fashioned favorite.

Read the rest of this consumer warning from the FDA.

How to Enjoy Halloween with

Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Halloween is pretty much all about trick-or-treating and the candy. But for people with a chronic condition such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), most candy may not be on the menu. In some cases, if the IBD is in a severe flare, trick-or-treating and candy may not be possible at all.

Here are some tips to help make Halloween a treat for all.