ARTHRITIS
Some 2 million Americans suffer enduring pain caused by rheumatoid arthritis, a condition in which the body's immune system erodes the cartilage and bone near joints. While doctors still do not know why the body turns against itself, they are exploring some promising prospects for relief. One involves mimicking the activity that dampens the immune system in pregnant women, allowing their bodies to adjust to the presence of the foreign fetus. Some doctors believe repeated vaccinations of properly prepared foreign cells will curb the immune reaction enough to hinder the inflammation of arthritis. Other researchers are genetically engineering cells to...