By Clare Wilson
People with rheumatoid arthritis often take potent medicines that relieve their pain but have damaging side-effects. An alternative approach could see the medicines given in a form that is activated when people shine red light on their affected joints, allowing them to take lower doses.
The system has only been tested in mice, so is likely to be several years away from use, but some of the different elements have been shown to work separately in people.
In rheumatoid arthritis, the immune system attacks the joints, so it is often treated with injections of …