Medical question-Why do they not give Gold Shots for Arthritis anymore????

Question

Gold Shots for Arthritis use to be given and I wish I knew why they were not anymore...

Answer 1

Gold shots were in the past the standard of care in treating moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis. As newer treatments have become available with superior benefit and less risk, gold injections are rarely initiated in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

On the other hand, there is evidence that gold injections have placed some patients into permanent remission. As a result, if a patient has gotten a good response to gold injections, they are typically continued. Stopping the gold in these patients may trigger a recurrence of arthritis activity which may not respond to resumption of therapy with gold.

Answer 2

Because they don't work as well as the newer drugs.