Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes pain, swelling and stiffness in peripheral joints. RA is one of the most debilitating forms of arthritis, with joint destruction and bone erosion a hallmark of the disease. Indeed, in advanced stages, RA can be crippling, and require lifelong treatment and often surgery. While there is no cure for the disease, drug treatment can help to reduce pain and inflammation, and slow the progression of joint damage. Due to its chronic nature and the potential for disability, RA is associated with high healthcare resource use and costs. In Spain, the annual cost attributable to RA has been estimated at euro1 billion−euro2 billion. Consequently, therapies that can treat patients with RA in a cost-effective manner are important. Two studies which examined the cost effectiveness of RA treatments in Spain were presented at a poster session at the Annual European Congress of Rheumatology(EULAR) [Berlin, Germany, June 2004].