Skylar is an associate editor for The American Journal of Managed Care® (AJMC®) and The Center for Biosimilars®, and joined AJMC® in 2020. She is responsible for covering all aspects of the ever-changing global biosimilar industry and produces content that is accessible and informative for all health care stakeholders.
She has a BA in journalism and media studies from Rutgers University. You can connect with Skylar on LinkedIn.
Study Identifies Factors Influencing the Degree of Disability in MS
November 10th 2021Drug use, serum albumin, and total number of lesions may serve as independent factors influencing the degree of disability in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), investigators of a retrospective analysis concluded.
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AKI Hospitalizations Found to Be Risk Factor for Postdischarge Adverse Events
November 8th 2021Hospitalization for an acute kidney injury (AKI) event was identified as a risk factor for several adverse events after hospital discharge, including hospital readmission and mortality, according to findings presented at Kidney Week 2021.
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AMCP Nexus Abstracts Present Findings on Clinical, Financial Burdens Associated With CKD
November 8th 2021Conference abstracts explored the relationship between serum phosphate levels on mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and cost burdens for employers as patients transition to end-stage renal disease.
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Atypical Radiological, Lab Findings Linked to Choice of Therapy in Patients With MS
November 7th 2021Choice of therapy to manage multiple sclerosis (MS) and prevent relapse was found to influence radiological and laboratory results, including lesion presentation, giving insight into the paraclinical characteristics of patients receiving different MS therapies.
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CMS Finalizes Policy to Improve Kidney Care for Low-Income Medicare Patients
November 3rd 2021To help close health equity gaps, CMS finalized a rule that will update payment rates and improve incentives for providers to encourage them to increase access to home dialysis and kidney transplants for low-income patients with end-stage renal disease.
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Patients With MS Have Similar Risks for COVID-19 Complications vs Other Populations
November 3rd 2021Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) had similar factors associated with adverse COVID-19 outcomes vs other populations, but these risks were found to decrease with subsequent COVID-19 waves, investigators found.
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Genetic Biomarker Test Calculates Recurrence, Survival Outcomes for Men With Prostate Cancer
November 2nd 2021A genetic biomarker test for patients with aggressive prostate cancer was found to identify which patients are more likely to respond to radiation and hormone treatments or develop metastases, allowing providers to personalize therapy regimens for high-risk patients.
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Study: Video Game Therapy Has Minimal Effect on Postural Balance in Patients With MS
November 1st 2021Video game therapy was found to have a minor impact on postural balance in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS); however, more research is needed to determine whether it should be recommended in clinical practice, investigators concluded.
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Patients With MS Testing Positive for COVID-19 Saw Worse Depressive, Anxiety Symptoms
October 29th 2021A recent study found patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) experienced depressive and anxiety symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic prior to vaccine rollout, especially among those who tested positive for COVID-19.
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Liquid Biopsy Blood Biomarker Possible Predictor of Tumor Recurrence, Cost Savings
October 28th 2021A study concluded that use of a multigene liquid biopsy blood biomarker for diagnosis of neuroendocrine tumors was over 94% effective at predicting tumor recurrence compared with other commonly used biomarker, Chromogranin A.
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Panel: New Medicare Part D Policies and Requirements Aim to Lower Plan Costs
October 21st 2021As deductibles for Medicare Part D beneficiaries and enrollment continue to rise, new policies and reconciliation negotiations aimed at lowering costs may hold the key to stabilizing Part D plans, according to presenters at the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy Nexus 2021 meeting.
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Panel: Biosimilar Acceptance May Be Greater Among Payers Than Previously Thought
October 20th 2021A panel discussion at AMCP Nexus 2021 explored the current biosimilar landscape and level of uptake, with survey results showing payers are accepting of biosimilars and that a majority support nonmedical switching.
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A panel of experts highlighted a number of emerging product solutions that can help health plans overcome challenges associated with financing and reimbursing gene and cell therapies and offered insight into how these solutions can be expanded as more therapies enter the market.
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Expert Panel Offers Insight Into Multifaceted Approach to Addressing Health Care Disparities
October 19th 2021A panel of experts at AMCP Nexus 2021 explored multiple ways that health plans and providers can begin to address disparities in health care and offered recommendations on how to implement these tactics effectively.
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Reference, Biosimilar Pegfilgrastim Can Be Safely Administered Same Day as Chemotherapy
October 12th 2021Investigators concluded that reference or biosimilar pegfilgrastim could be safely administered to patients with lymphoma on the same day they receive chemotherapy, which could reduce scheduling burden and risk of COVID-19 exposure.
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Study Finds Some Disease-Modifying Therapies Reduce COVID-19 Protective Immunity in Patients With MS
October 6th 2021Some immunosuppressive medications, particularly anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies, were found to reduce antibodies designed to protect against SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) who have recovered from COVID-19, investigators concluded.
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Despite Awareness of Biosimilars, More Education Among Oncologists in Brazil Needed
October 6th 2021Brazilian oncologists showed a solid knowledge base about biosimilars and their safety; however, concerns over extrapolation and interchangeability requirements remained, suggesting that more education on these subjects is needed.
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The Myriad Ways ctDNA Analysis Using Liquid Biopsy Can Be Applied in NSCLC
October 5th 2021A literature review examined the many clinical applications for circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) analysis in non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and provided insight into how liquid biopsy can help avoid certain limitations presented by other ctDNA analysis methods.
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Bevacizumab Biosimilar Found to Have Safety, Efficacy Equivalent to Reference Avastin for NSCLC
October 1st 2021Bevacizumab biosimilar LY01008 demonstrated comparative safety, efficacy, immunogenicity, and pharmacokinetic profiles to the reference product Avastin when combined with paclitaxel and carboplatin in patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
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Comprehensive Genomic Features, Therapeutic Biomarkers Identified in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma
October 1st 2021Investigators reported comprehensive genomic features of patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma, potentially giving providers a better understanding of the molecular features associated with the disease.
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Vaccine Myths Detected as Major Reason for Low Vaccination Rates Among Patients With MS
September 23rd 2021Misconceptions about the safety and necessity of vaccines were cited as the main reasons for lower-than-recommended vaccination rates among patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to new research.
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Polymerase chain reaction–based comprehensive genomic profiling testing provided useful information for more than 94% of samples, including 81% of samples that normally would not have been tested, suggesting that more patients may benefit from CGP testing than anticipated.
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MS Disability, Symptoms Are Worse in Non-White Patients, Study Finds
September 16th 2021Non-white patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), particularly African American and Hispanic American patients, were found to experience a higher level of overall disability and more severe symptoms, highlighting current disparities in this disease.
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The Role of Liquid Biopsy in Determining Prognosis, Treatment in Surgical Oncology
September 15th 2021A literature review detailed the multitude of ways that liquid biopsy can be used to aid the treatment of patients with cancer, including aiding in screening, recurrence surveillance, genomic profiling, and therapeutic decision-making.
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