MyHealthTeams launches social network for people living with spondyloarthritis

MySpondylitisTeam

MyHealthTeams has launched its latest social network, MySpondylitisTeam, which is made to connect people living with spondyloarthritis (SpA). Spondyloarthritis refers to an umbrella term for chronic and inflammatory arthritis that affects the spine, the pelvis, the joints and the entheses — the sites where the ligaments and tendons attach to the bones, causing joint stiffness and crippling pain.

The new social network, which has attracted more than 3,800 registered members in just a few weeks, is a member-led online community where people share information, resources, tips and advice that help them better manage their day-to-day health and lives. MyHealthTeams on its end is creating and curating resources to serve the community.

“When someone is diagnosed with spondyloarthritis, especially after enduring years of inexplicable pain, they have a deep desire for more information and authentic connection,” Eric Peacock, cofounder and CEO of MyHealthTeams, said in a statement. “Your Facebook friends may not know the first thing about spondyloarthritis, but on a social network exclusively for people who share the condition you know that everyone ‘gets it.'”

To increase awareness about spondyloarthritis, inflammatory back pain, and related symptoms, MyHealthTeams is working with global biopharmaceutical company UCB on an educational initiative designed to provide people experiencing symptoms with information and resources.

“Teaming with MyHealthTeams allows UCB to gain insights from a unique social network just for patients, enabling us to provide valuable resources that educate and support SpA patients,” said Emmanuel Caeymaex, Head of Immunology and Executive Vice President, Immunology Patient Value Unit, UCB.

MySpondylitisTeam is one of 28 social networks established by MyHealthTeams since the company was founded in 2012.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimates, more than 1% of Americans are living with spondyloarthritis, with most people first experiencing symptoms in their 20s or 30s — yet many are not diagnosed until several years later.