Examining Challenges with Drug Switching and Step Therapy in MS Treatment
Key opinion leaders discuss the challenges associated with step therapy requirements after initially selecting a drug class, the patient factors considered when deciding to switch a patient with non-relapsing secondary progressive multiple sclerosis to a different therapy, and whether payers commonly employ step therapy between different drug classes.
Increasing Awareness of RSV Vaccines in At-Risk Patients
The expert panel discusses ways to increase awareness of the RSV vaccine for patients who would benefit from it.
MS Treatment Guidelines: Expert Insights on Updates and Decision-Making
Heidi Crayton, MD, and Maria Lopes, MD, discuss the most recent 2018 guidelines for multiple sclerosis treatment, emphasizing the need for updated guidelines, particularly in the payer space, to ensure coverage criteria for MS medications, and they also consider the factors that influence their decision-making process when selecting therapies for patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis.
RSV: Risk Factors and How It’s Spread
A panel of experts outline who’s at risk for RSV and how it’s spread, highlighting how transmission can be minimized.
The Economic Burden and Main Drivers of Healthcare Resource Utilization in RSV
Focusing on the economic burden of RSV, the panel discusses financial considerations for multiple patient populations, highlighting hospitalization costs and the main drivers of healthcare resource utilization.
Complications Associated with RSV Infections
Marty J. Feltner, PharmD, provides insights on complications associated with RSV infections and how complications vary for different patient populations.
Overview of RSV Patient Populations
A panel of experts on respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) introduce themselves and give an overview of patients who are most affected by RSV.
Patient Satisfaction: Opportunity for Better Multiple Sclerosis Therapies
Experts in multiple sclerosis discuss overall patient satisfaction with current disease-modifying therapies for multiple sclerosis, highlighting the need for more therapies that stave off decline and disease progression.
Assessing Limitations, Costs, Mobility and Cognition in Progressive Multiple Sclerosis
Heidi Crayton, MD, and Maria Lopes, MD, discuss the limitations of using relapse rates as a critical endpoint in trials for patients with non-relapsing secondary progressive multiple sclerosis experiencing disease progression without relapse, explore methods to assess therapeutic benefit in this population, examine the relationship between cost of care and disease severity, and highlight the impact of decreased mobility and cognition on MS patients along with strategies for improvement.
Multiple Sclerosis: Impact, Types, Pathophysiology, and Progression
Heidi Crayton, MD, and Maria Lopes, MD, discuss the impact of multiple sclerosis on patients, families, and caregivers, differentiate relapsing forms (relapsing-remitting and primary progressive) from non-relapsing forms (non-relapsing secondary progressive) in clinical practice, and highlight the key pathophysiological features of relapsing multiple sclerosis and the impact of progression independent of relapse activity (PIRA) after an initial demyelinating event.
Overcoming HIV PrEP Access Barriers With Advocacy Groups
Carl Schmid shares insight on the use of advocacy groups to help patients overcome barriers to access for HIV PrEP therapy.
Improving Access and Uptake of HIV PrEP
Sean E. Bland, JD; Frank J. Palella, MD; and Carl Schmid explore organizational opportunities to improve access to HIV PrEP therapy and population health management strategies to improve PrEP uptake.
COVID-19’s Effect on Access to HIV PrEP Therapy
Carl Schmid discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic has amplified health care disparities and accessing HIV PrEP, and Frank J. Palella, MD, comments on the role of telehealth in improving access to PrEP.
Using Real-World Evidence for HIV PrEP Policies
Ryan Bitton, PharmD, MBA, provides a payer perspective on the importance of creating future health policies for HIV PrEP agents using real-world evidence and considering the total cost of care for patients.
Unmet Needs for USPSTF Guidelines for HIV PrEP
Ryan Bitton, PharmD, MBA; Sean E. Bland, JD; Frank J. Palella, MD; and Carl Schmid comment on challenges in the implementation of USPSTF guidelines for HIV PrEP as well as existing unknowns with the guidance.
USPSTF Guidelines: Approaching Optimal Therapy for HIV PrEP
Frank J. Palella, MD, shares a provider perspective for steps to take in accordance with USPSTF guidelines for HIV PrEP to get patients appropriate medications, and Ryan Bitton, PharmD, MBA, shares a provider prospective on supporting expedited prior authorizations.
USPSTF Guidelines for HIV PrEP: Using Medical Management Techniques
Sean E. Bland, JD, provides insight for when a health plan or issuer may use reasonable medical-management techniques, in accordance with USPSTF guidelines for HIV PrEP, and Ryan Bitton, PharmD, MBA, shares a payer perspective on utilization-management policies regarding PrEP.