Rheumatoid arthritis is not just a disease of the modern world. Signs of rheumatoid arthritis have been noted in skeletal remains from as long ago as 4500BC and an Indian text from 123AD provides the first written account of symptoms suggestive of rheumatoid arthritis.

Although the exact cause of rheumatoid arthritis is still not known, the autoimmune nature of it was recognised in 1939 by an Australian researcher named Sir McFarlane Burnet. This was supported by the discovery of rheumatoid factor (an antibody that is commonly found in the blood of patients with rheumatoid arthritis), also in 1939, by Dr Eric Waaler. A test for rheumatoid factor was developed in 1948 by Dr HM Rose and colleagues. Testing for rheumatoid factor is still used to help diagnose rheumatoid arthritis today.