Clinical Science Track Analyzes Timely Data and Insights to Optimize Care

The Clinical Science program at ACR Convergence 2026 will explore a diverse selection of timely topics that have piqued the interest of researchers, clinicians, and patients alike, said Chair of the Clinical Science Team for the Annual Meeting Planning Committee (AMPC) Elizabeth Volkmann, MD, MS, Director of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Scleroderma Program, and Founder and Co-Director of the UCLA Connective Tissue Disease-Related Interstitial Lung Disease Program.

“One area that I think will get a lot of attention is the GLP-1 [glucagon-like peptide-1] agonist drugs,” she said. “These medications were initially approved for weight loss and diabetes, and now people are exploring their role in controlling inflammation and different autoimmune diseases.”

GLP-1 Receptor Agonists: Perspectives on Use in Autoimmune Inflammatory Rheumatic Diseases, 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, November 8, in Room W415BC of the Orange County Convention Center, will highlight novel biomarkers approaching clinical application, as well as those in development for lupus diagnostics, prognostics, and disease pathogenesis. Additional updates will be shared on antinuclear antibody testing, autoantibodies, urinary biomarkers, and the potential role of emerging molecular markers.

“I think this session will be well attended because rheumatologists are getting a lot of questions in the clinic from patients about these drugs and where they could fit into the treatment of their autoimmune disease,” Dr. Volkmann explained.

Menopausal Hormone Therapy in 2026: What Rheumatologists Need to Know is another opportunity to hear experts discuss recent clinical updates. The session, scheduled for 3 p.m. on Sunday in Room W415A, will examine new evidence that has recently emerged regarding the safety of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for postmenopausal women, leading to reconsideration of earlier concerns raised by studies in the early 2000s that reported significant risks, including cancer. Presenters will review current evidence on the safety of HRT related to autoimmune disease risk, as well as its use among individuals with established autoimmune conditions.

Dietary supplements have become an increasingly hot topic—patient adoption has risen over the last 25 years, with studies suggesting that nearly three in five U.S. adults, aged 20 and over, use at least one. However, recommending specific products as a clinician can be difficult due to the lack of U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation in this space. Dietary Supplements: What Are the Data?, 1 p.m. on Monday, November 9, in Room W415A, will analyze various dietary supplements and the data in different rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases to emphasize gaps in knowledge, outline risks associated with supplement use and autoimmune disease flares, and describe how to work with functional medicine and alternative doctors to optimize care and keep patients safe.

“A lot of people want to take supplements, but they don’t know which they should use,” said Dr. Volkmann. “This was another session driven by what many of our patients are asking us about, and I think people will learn something they can take back to the clinic to guide their patients, which is important because patients usually aren’t given guidance on the potential risks of supplements from the people who are selling them.”

Dr. Volkmann also cited recent developments related to treatment for Sjogren’s disease: “This is a really exciting time in Sjogren’s because there are likely to be new approved therapies for Sjogren’s disease. However, this is a condition where if you don’t diagnose it properly, a patient might not get access to new therapies that are likely to be approved.”

This year’s Clinical Science Great Debate will feature two leading Sjogren’s disease experts offering differing perspectives on the use of lip biopsy in diagnosis. Great Debate: Diagnosing Sjogren’s Disease: Is Lip Biopsy Really Necessary? will begin at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, November 10, in Room W415D.

“I think it’s a timely debate to have because lip biopsies are quite invasive—they can cause scarring—and if they aren’t truly needed in the diagnosis, we might be exposing people to harm,” Dr. Volkmann said. “On the flip side, there are people that really believe this is a necessary step to reach a diagnosis. So, it’s a question we wanted to call attention to, especially this year due to the rising interest in Sjogren’s because of the development happening in this space.”

The complete list of ACR Convergence 2026 Clinical Science track sessions is available in the online program.

Additional Clinical Science Sessions

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