IV Infusion Center Uses Biologics to Treat Patients with Inflammatory Diseases such as Rheumatoid Arthritis
March 10, 2005
G. Richard Parrino, MD, was recently named Medical Director of the Outpatient Infusion Center at Phelps Memorial Hospital Center. A rheumatologist, with nearly 40 years of experience, he will significantly expand the use of biologics to patients with chronic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.
Biologics are derived from living organism and are designed to inhibit or supplement a specific component of the immune system and are used to treat a variety of chronic illnesses that may be painful and debilitating, particularly inflammatory diseases such as Rheumatoid Arthritis. "Biologics are allowing us to significantly improve our patients' quality of life," said Dr. Richard Parrino, the center's newly appoint medical director. "We are at a place where we can point to a cure." Phelps' Infusion Center is perhaps the only non-oncology infusion facility in Westchester County. Oncological infusion is provided by Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center at Phelps.
Biologics, or "biologic agents," copy the effects of substances made by the body's immune system during the formation of antibodies. This unique make-up allows biologics to target individual proteins that are involved in the disease process at a fundamental level, thus making them more effective than broad-spectrum anti-inflammatories and disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs). When used to treat chronic inflammatory conditions, biologic agents work by neutralizing a cytokine (cyto = cell; kine = activity) called TNFa (Tumor Necrosing Factor Alpha), which has been found to be the important component that propagates the inflammatory destructive process.
In addition to patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis, biologics can improve quality of life for people with psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, juvenile arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, systemic lupus erythematosis, and Crohn's disease.
G. Richard Parrino, M.D., who received his undergraduate degree from the University
of Dayton and his medical degree for the University of Rome School of Medicine,
began is career in Rheumatology as Fellow in Rheumatology at the New Jersey
College of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Jersey City, NY. Throughout his
career he held leadership appointments, putting him on the cutting edge of the
study and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, including: Associate Chief of Rheumatology
at Catholic Medical Center of Brooklyn and Queens, Jamaica, NY; Queens Hospital
Center, a Catholic Medical Center Affiliation, Jamaica, NY; Physician in Charge,
Rheumatology Clinic, Queens Hospital Center, Jamaica, NY; and Associate Attending
Physician, Rheumatology Division, Dept. of Medicine, Grasslands Hospital (now
Westchester Medical Center). Additionally, he has been a Clinical Instructor
of Medicine at New York Medical College at both the Flower Fifth Avenue Hospital
campus in NYC and the Valhalla campus in Westchester County.
Phelps Memorial Hospital is a 235-bed community hospital with 450 physicians, representing 34 different medical specialties. Phelps is the Westchester Satellite for Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, a clinical affiliate of Mount Sinai Hospital, and the newest member of the New York Presbyterian Healthcare System.