79% of Crohn’s disease patients in remission after early intervention
Crohn’s disease patients given the drug infliximab right after diagnosis reached sustained remission at a rate of 79% after one year, compared to just 15% for those on the standard step-by-step approach. The Cambridge-led trial of 386 patients also found that only one person in the early-treatment group needed urgent bowel surgery, versus ten in the conventional group. Researchers say the old wisdom of saving the strongest drugs for last lets quiet damage build up while the clock ticks. With cheaper biosimilar versions now widely available, this finding could reshape care for the millions living with Crohn’s worldwide — and it’s a powerful reminder that sometimes the best medicine is simply not waiting.
