Our Research Program is Impactful

Since 1948, the Arthritis Foundation has funded more than $450 million in research grants and we will continue to mobilize public and private funding for research that guides and accelerates progress toward the prevention and cure of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and juvenile arthritis. Representing the 50 million Americans suffering from arthritis, we bring together researchers, clinicians, policymakers, patient groups and industry partners around shared research goals and strategies that will result in major benefits for people with arthritis.

Fascinating Facts About the Arthritis Foundation Research Program

• 2,653 researchers funded since 1948
• $456,299,676 invested in arthritis research since 1948
• 226 research grant applications received in 2012
• 150 peer reviewers each year
• 2000 hours volunteered by our peer reviewers each year
• 10-year partnership with CARRA (Childhood Arthritis & Rheumatology Research Alliance)
• $2,299,224 supporting juvenile arthritis research through CARRA partnership
• Partners to achieve our research goals: Foundation for National Institutes of Health (FNIH), OA Research Society International (OARSI), Childhood Arthritis & Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA), American College of Rheumatology (ACR), American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM), AOII Foundation
• 137 attendees at the AF’s 2012 Segal North American Osteoarthritis Workshop (SNOW) meeting, representing 8 countries and 35 institutions.
• Using his AF research grant in the early 1980s, Dr. Bill Arend studied the role of IL-1 in RA – work that led to the development of Kineret, one of the biologics used to treat RA today.
• $4.7 Million allocated to arthritis research by the Department of Defense thanks to the AF’s advocacy efforts
• $600,000 toward FNIH partnership on OA Biomarkers to drive toward a new treatment
• $1 Million toward ACR’s Within Our Reach program of RA research
• $150,000 per year toward ACR partnership to fund career development awards