If you’ve ever wanted more clarity in conversations with your care team, or wondered whether medical cannabis has a place in autoimmune treatment – Professor Buchbinder, a Melbourne-based rheumatologist, breaks it down with honesty and ease for us. Professor Rachelle Buchbinder offers a thoughtful look at shared decision-making, and how we can work with our providers to shape our care. She also clears the air on what current evidence really says about medical cannabis for autoimmune conditions.
Prof. Eric Morand, Dean of Sub-Faculty of Clinical and Molecular Medicine at Monash University, and Head of Rheumatology at Monash Health, gives a presentation on ‘Specific Therapy for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE).’ He talks about new research in an article published in Feb24 from Monash, ‘Smith-specific regulatory T-cells that halt the progression of Lupus Nephritis’.
Prof. Morand explains why people with Lupus have their kidneys ‘attacked’, as opposed to people without Lupus.
The real breakthrough, he explains, is recognising that key factor in why healthy people don’t get get their kidneys ‘attacked’, and that is because they have Regulatory T-cells. Essentially, when you have a healthy immune system, your body switches “on” the cells that kill bacteria, and has the ability to then switch them “off” again with a T-Reg cell (a ‘slowing down’ cell).
In people with Lupus, the germ fighting cells do get activated, but have no “off” function, which results in autoimmune disease. This “off” function is what slows down an immune response in your body.
Watch Prof. Morand’s full presentation to learn more of this exciting research.
Dragon Talks session
Dragon Claw’s own Dr Charmaine Jones was the driving force behind the need for a tool for people living with autoimmune conditions – a tool to their own symptoms and test results to empower them to be a more active participant in their own treatment plan. Being able to show your medical practitioner a picture over time, to be able to better advocate for themselves. In this episode, rheumatologist Dr Daniel Lewis talks to us about the benefits of using a tool like this to help identify if medication is working for you, or if you need an adjustment.
Estala Mata, from MATA Patient Advocacy & Support, talks about the importance of having a voice and being able to build a trusting relationship with your healthcare provider.
