Laura Joszt, MA

In addition to Cobenfy being approved for schizophrenia, there are other drugs with novel mechanisms being studied that may mean combination therapies or, at least, more options for patients in the future.

While treatment options are evolving cancer care and extending lifespans, there is still a lack of biomarkers in certain cancers that can help direct treatment or provide early detection.

CMS made improvements for the Enhancing Oncology Model (EOM) over the Oncology Care Model (OCM), but there remains a delay in data and the challenge of high-cost, novel therapies, explained Stuart Staggs, vice president, Transformation and Shared Services, McKesson.

The latest therapy approved to treat chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) has a new target different than the other approved therapies. Daniel Wolff, MD, also discusses future research on axatilimab to treat chronic GVHD earlier.

Posters at AMCP Nexus analyzed the burden of flares on patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) and the impact initiating ruxolitinib cream had on use of other therapies.

There is a role for both payers and providers to make small changes that would increase the use of biomarker testing to ensure patients are receiving the appropriate treatment, said Susan Wescott, RPh, MBA, senior director of managed care pharmacy, Mayo Clinic.

Co-pay accumulators and maximizers are 2 programs that insurers have started implementing to help them redirect financial assistance from the patient, said Kimberly Westrich, MA, chief strategy officer, National Pharmaceutical Council.

A new letter signed by more than 230 members of the House urges Congress to not only block the scheduled 2.8% reimbursement cut, but also reform the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule.

A lot of attention has been on the drug price negotiation aspects of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), but the implementation of out-of-pocket smoothing is something to keep an eye on, said Adam Colborn, JD, of AMCP.

The prevalence rates of metabolic dysfunction–associated steatohepatitis (MASH) and metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) are likely underestimated using claims data alone.

Bipolar disorder is commonly misdiagnosed depending on the features that present, explained Stephanie Hsia, PharmD, MAEd, BCPP, of University of California, San Francisco.

As a result of vertical integration, health plans may have 2 different coverage policies on the medical benefit side and the pharmacy benefit side for the same drug.

Patients with schizophrenia have a lot of life-changing consequences when they are being treated properly, and these are only amplified when the patient goes untreated, explained Megan Ehret, PharmD, of University of Maryland, School of Pharmacy.

Schizophrenia may be misdiagnosed as depression or bipolar disorder, which delays treatment and negatively impacts the prognosis, explained Megan Ehret, PharmD, MS, BCPP, of the University of Maryland, School of Pharmacy.

Because sickle cell disease isn’t as progressive a disease as others that have gene therapies available, there isn’t as much urgency to start on these expensive therapies, said Kevin Niehoff, PharmD, BCMAS, associate director, Market and Financial Insights, IPD Analytics.

Two posters compared health care resource utilization (HCRU) and financial burdens of people living with HIV with a non-HIV population and people with HIV who are heavily treated with those have experienced less treatment.

Although the cost of biomarker testing isn’t cheap, the cost of therapy for patients can be much higher, making it important to conduct these tests to start the right therapy, explained Susan Wescott, RPh, MBA, of Mayo Clinic.

There are many misconceptions patients might have about clinical trials that prevent them from participating, and it’s important to understand what they are in order to overcome them, said Terry L. Keys, of University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center.

Allowing patients to stay in their homes to receive bispecific antibodies can make the whole cancer journey easier, explained Courtney VanHouzen, PharmD, of Cowell Family Cancer Center, Munson Healthcare.

Financial advocacy in health care should advocate for system change and community work to give people better access to health and well-being before they get a life-changing cancer diagnosis, said Nadine J. Barrett, PhD, MA, MS, FACCC, of Wake Forest University and the Association of Cancer Care Centers.

Naoto T. Ueno, MD, PhD, FACP, of the University of Hawai’I Cancer Center outlines the underrepresentation in clinical trials, the lack of permanent medical oncologists, and issues of trust affecting care for the populations living in Hawaii.

Speakers from across the care continuum will discuss legislative updates, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) use for weight management, and more at this year’s AMCP Nexus.

Otulfi from Formycon and Fresenius Kabi was approved simultaneously in the US and the European Union. In the US, it will launch in February 2025.

There are some short-lived, common adverse events for patients using cannabis, but also some more dangerous, less common ones in chronic users, explained Marie Parish, PharmD, BCOP, of Mayo Clinic.

Finerenone is at least as effective in patients who are in the hospital or were recently hospitalized for heart failure as those with stable condition, said Akshay Desai, MD, of Brigham & Women’s Hospital.

As cancer therapies extend patients’ lifespans, it’s important to implement cardioprotective strategies, said Aaron Adkisson, PharmD, of University of Kentucky.

The pharmacist is a critical member of the care team to help manage patients on treatment and contain costs of cancer care, said Kirollos S. Hanna, PharmD, BCPS, BCOP, FACCC, director of pharmacy, Minnesota Oncology.

After a small number of practices joined the Enhancing Oncology Model (EOM) in 2023, CMS has made some changes and opened the model back up for new practices to join.