Arthritis Research UK is the charity leading the fight against arthritis. We’re working to take the pain away for sufferers of all forms of arthritis and helping people to remain active.
We do this by funding high class research, providing information and campaigning. Everything we do is underpinned by research. Our core remits are funding world-class research and providing a comprehensive range of information for patients, the public and health professionals and we are committed to raising the profile of arthritis and making a real difference to people's lives.
Arthritis is a huge problem, affecting more than 10 million people in the UK, and we believe the time is right for us to raise its profile, both among the general public and government. We do this by actively campaigning on behalf of people with arthritis, and we want to hear from you about the most important issues you want us to address.
Since Arthritis Research UK was founded (as the Empire Rheumatism Council) in 1936, treatment of arthritis and related conditions has changed beyond recognition. Much of this is as a result of the research we’ve funded. Many people with what were then known as rheumatic diseases were generally bedbound, with little hope of effective treatment, let alone a cure.
The outlook for patients has improved significantly over the years, largely due to our work as we began to train medics, fund hundreds of research projects and educate patients on the many different types of arthritis.
Effective drug treatments and joint replacements have transformed people’s lives, and the emphasis on self-management and staying active marks a shift from the old medical advice to rest and that “nothing that can be done.” Our scientists pioneered one of the biggest research breakthroughs in recent years – anti-TNF therapy – which has revolutionised treatment of inflammatory arthritis.
We are the leading arthritis research charity in the UK, and we fund only the very best scientific work which we expect to make a real difference to people’s lives.