Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an immune disease of which the pathological mechanism is unknown, affecting people between 30 and 55 years of age. Characteristic feature of this disease is an non‑specific arthritis inflammatory and many systemic complications leading to disability or premature death of a patient. There are several methods of diagnosis of the disease and a few known patterns of prevention and treatment. Costs associated with RA are not only expenditure for diagnosis and treatment, but also the cost of rehabilitation, proper diet and losses resulting from the inability to work. In Poland, these costs are additionally higher compared to some European countries because of the use of the old patterns of treatment, neglecting the role of prevention and early diagnosis, and long and complicated modalities of implementation of newer methods of treatment for patients.

Key words: rheumatoid arthritis, RA, the cost of therapy for RA.