Laura Joszt, MA

Community health centers are on the front lines of addressing the opioid epidemic, and those in Medicaid expansion states seem to be better equipped to respond to the crisis.

Treatment options for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who relapse after an allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (allo-HCT) are limited, but those who are able to receive intensive interventions receive a second allo-HCT or donor lymphocyte infusion. A study in JAMA Oncology sought to compare the 2 options for patients who relapse.

Health plans continue to show interest in expanding outcomes-based contracts, according to an Avalere Health study that also found cardiovascular diseases, infectious diseases, and oncology represent the most common therapeutic areas to have these contracts.

A second biosimilar to Amgen’s Neupogen, which treats neutropenia, has been approved in the United States. The FDA approved Pfizer’s filgrastim-aafi, which will be sold under the brand name Nivestym. Zarxio (filgrastim-sndz) was the first filgrastim biosimilar approved by the FDA in 2015.

Adam Boehler, director of the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation, is taking on an additional role as the senior advisor for value-based transformation and innovation. He represents the last departmental appointment as part of HHS Secretary Alex Azar's 4 priority areas.

The FDA approved the first targeted therapy for adults with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia with an IDH1 mutation. In addition, FDA also approved a companion diagnostic to be used to detect the specific mutations in the IDH1 gene.

New tools from the American College of Chest Physicians' CHEST Foundation, the Allergy & Asthma Network, and the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology can help clinicians and patients to work together to choose the best treatment and increase adherence.

For vulnerable populations, their health and healthcare issues may be exacerbated by social factors. Here are just 5 vulnerable populations who experience greater risk factors, worse access to care, and increased morbidity and mortality compared with the general population.

The FDA has expanded its approval of ribociclib (Kisqali) to treat hormone receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative advanced or metastatic breast cancer under 2 new pilot programs to make the development and review of cancer drugs more efficient.

After 5 years of research, the Hutchinson Institute for Cancer Outcomes Research has released a report that is the first in the nation to publicly report clinic-level quality measures linked to cost in oncology.

A new road map highlights how to overcome barriers to integrating person-centered care and evidence-based research at hospitals caring for vulnerable populations.

Quality measurement has been around for nearly 2 decades and in that time measures have evolved and also proliferated to the point of placing considerable burden on physicians and health systems. New efforts are being made to streamline current measures, fill in gaps, and harmonize measures across programs.

Acute myeloid leukemia can often appear suddenly in patients, without any detectable early symptoms. However, new research has identified the origins of AML, which can be detectable more than 5 years before the disease develops.

Psychological stress and emotional well-being are important targets for multiple sclerosis (MS) research and clinical care. Mood disorders can adversely impact functioning, quality of life, and treatment adherence, and increase the risk of suicide.

Only 34% of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in a small study in China were likely to be positive about attempting treatment-free remission.

A survey of low-income nonelderly people in Ohio, Indiana, and Kansas explored how alternative approaches to Medicaid can impact access, coverage, and healthcare satisfaction, as well as what effect implementing work requirements in Kansas would have.

Ixazomib taken twice weekly with lenalidomide and dexamethasone resulted in high overall response rate (ORR) and a durable response among patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM).

Enrollees in Minnesota's early Medicaid expansion had high rates of mental illness, substance use disorder, and housing instability, indicating they would benefit most from access to highly integrated health and social services.

Research presented at the 2018 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting identified predictors of long-term survival and health-related quality of life (QoL) in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM).

A review of studies found that the time from symptom onset to confirmation of diagnosis of multiple myeloma can be significantly reduced. Currently, many patients experience a more than 3-month delay until their diagnosis is confirmed.

Although most practices participating in CMS' Oncology Care Model (OCM) are among the most sophisticated in the country, they've run into challenges and have identified areas for adjustment in the 5-year pilot.

Based on trial results that showed glasdegib, an investigational oral smoothened inhibitor, nearly doubled overall survival (OS) in patients with previously untreated acute myeloid leukemia (AML), the FDA has granted the Pfizer drug a Priority Review.

Findings from a 10-year research project show that implementing health initiatives at a population level can improve health and reduce the risk of heart disease for an entire community.

Cancer cells can take advantage of the BCL-2 protein to survive chemotherapy, but a drug that suppresses BCL-2 may have promise in patients with leukemia who produce too much of the protein.

As radiation oncologists met with policy makers in Congress as part of the 15th annual American Society of Radiation Oncology Advocacy Day, the need for a radiation oncology–specific alternative payment model (APM) was one of the key topics of discussion.

A national study of 120 payers has found that nearly two-thirds of payments are now based on value, and value-based care is helping stakeholders to achieve the triple aim of lower costs, improved health, and better patient experiences.

Enrollment in Medicare Advantage plans has grown sharply to cover one-third of all Medicare beneficiaries. During that growth, customer satisfaction with these plans remains stable, according to a new report from J.D. Power.

Patients with myelofibrosis who were treated with Janus-kinase (JAK) 1/2 inhibitors have an increased risk for developing B-cell lymphoma. However, researchers believe there is a pre-existing B-cell clone that patients can be tested for before treatment.

FDA action; gene discover in ALL

The opioid epidemic remains a major issue. While technology and data can be used to help combat the crisis, they are not silver bullets, and there remains a lot of work to do, said speakers at an event hosted by The Hill.