February 28 is Rare Disease Day, and The Myositis Association has 20 medical experts from around the globe available to speak about this rare autoimmune disease of the muscles.
TMA’s Medical Advisory Board is made up of myositis researchers from the NIH, the Myositis Center at Johns Hopkins University, the Mayo Clinic, and other prestigious American institutions as well as from the Netherlands, Great Britain, France, and Sweden.
Quick facts:
• Myositis includes dermatomyositis, polymyositis, inclusion-body myositis, and juvenile forms of the disease.• Myositis causes severe muscle pain and weakness, difficulty moving and standing, chronic disability, debilitating skin rashes, and other symptoms. • Patients face other life-threatening disorders, including interstitial lung disease, antisynthetase syndrome, and a higher risk of cancer and other diseases. • On average it takes more than three-and-a-half years and five doctors to correctly diagnose an autoimmune disease. • Myositis is challenging to diagnose and difficult or impossible to treat.
The Myositis Association is committed to support and education for the myositis patient and caregiver community, increasing awareness of myositis throughout the community, and funding for myositis-related research.
Journalists are invited to seek additional information about myositis at myositis.org. For photos, or to set up an interview with a local patient, myositis medical experts, or TMA’s Executive Director, call 800-821-7356 or email [email protected].
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