New research presented by Steritas at ACR Convergence 2025 (ACR) reveals something striking: patients are engaging 10 times longer than the global average, trying to understand steroid side effects. This isn't just a data point – it's a signal of a huge unmet need among steroid-treated patients.
Patients are not passive. They're actively searching.
Since launching in 2024, the Steroids and Me (Sam) platform has experienced extraordinary growth, attracting 12,759 visitors, a 300% increase in just 90 days.
But it's not just about traffic. It's the average time spent: 5.4 minutes per visit, ten times longer than typical health sites. These aren't casual clicks. They're indications of an underlying need for clarity.
Sam's visitors are trying to make sense of complex, often frightening questions: How will steroids affect my brain? What should I ask my doctor? Is there another path? Neuropsychiatric effects top the list of concerns, followed by everyday quality-of-life questions that clinicians often overlook.
Sam now ranks #1 on Google for 350 steroid-related terms and appears in the top 10 for another 900. With over 600,000 Google impressions and 7,460 search-driven visits, the platform has logged more than 168 hours of patient learning time. People aren't skimming. They're studying.
Advocacy partnerships deepen the signal
In collaboration with top advocacy groups, from the Vasculitis Foundation to the Lupus Research Alliance and the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research, Sam is reaching those who need it most. Patients who come through these trusted communities spend twice as much time on the site (an average of 14 minutes) and show strong interest in tapering strategies and communication with doctors. They're looking for actionable guidance they can trust.
The platform doesn't just inform. It supports care decisions with advice from world experts and through clinically validated frameworks such as the Glucocorticoid Toxicity Index (GTI) and its counterpart, the GTI-MD, translating concern into evidence-based monitoring.
"Sam was very well received at ACR. Practicing physicians are eager to introduce Sam directly to patients. Industry leaders were asking how to incorporate Sam into their patient communications and how to glean patient insights to better understand how to deliver alternatives. Our team is gratified that Sam is delivering what all of our research had told us: steroid-treated patients want one curated source of trusted education, delivered in plain language so they can manage their disease and get on with their lives.." Martha Stone, CEO of Steritas
The takeaway for clinicians: the education gap is real
These patients are not waiting to be told. They're actively, urgently seeking answers on their own.
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Reference
- Petri M, Stone M, Stone J, Marinaro M, Wilkinson M, Lentfert W, Kotton C, Gelfand J, McDowell J, Shivas T. Steroids and Me (Sam): engaging and educating steroid-treated patients via patient advocacy partnerships and internet search channels. [abstract]. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2025;77 (suppl 9)
https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/steroids-and-me-sam-engaging-and-educating-steroid-treated-patients-via-patient-advocacy-partnerships-and-internet-search-channels/