Oncology

As part of its inquiry, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will demand that the 6 largest pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) submit records and answer questions regarding their business practices.

The approvals were announced by Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS), maker of the 2 immunotherapy treatments approved for 1 combination: nivolumab (Opdivo), the first approved PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor, and ipilimumab (Yervoy), which activates the immune system by targeting CTLA-4.

The dysfunction with pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) is so troublesome that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is currently investigating how they have driven up costs. Until May 25, the FTC is holding a public comment period on PBM practices.

Across commercial insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid populations, oncology is the top category of spend, and the drug pipeline has increasing specific and complex therapies.

Trends in surveillance testing after treatment for colorectal cancer remained relatively stable recently, and patients who overutilized surveillance measures had quicker recurrence detection but higher costs.

The proportion of colonoscopies performed for postpolypectomy surveillance has increased significantly, particularly among older patients with limited life expectancy, raising concern for possible overuse.

Among the fewer than half of patients with cancer who received opioid fills, a relatively small proportion (2.5%) had potentially problematic opioid use.

The FDA sets a tentative date for a decision on authorizing a COVID-19 vaccine in children under 5 years of age; the American Academy of Pediatrics will review all of its guidance for unproven race-based recommendations contributing to health disparities; the FDA rejects 2 China-tested cancer treatments.

Although crowdfunding can be a financial lifeline for young adult patients with serious medical conditions, the nuances regarding the need for and the long-term impact of crowdfunding exposes a facet of the US health care system that must be addressed.

The CEO of the American Oncology Network cited the growing need for financial assistance in announcing the partnership.

From the editor-in-chief of Evidence-Based Oncology.

Coverage from the Association of Community Cancer Centers 2022 Annual Meeting and Cancer Center Business Summit, held in Washington, DC, March 2-4.

Coverage from the 2022 annual meeting of the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation, which met February 23-25 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Recent steps by FDA to promote the use of real-world evidence are to be commended, but the future demands a broader vision that makes greater use of growing sources of health care information.

Norman E. “Ned” Sharpless, MD, is departing shortly after the launch of Cancer Moonshot 2.0, an initiative that aims to reduce the cancer death rate by at least half over the next 25 years while improving the experience for all those affected by cancer.

No One Left Behind, a program to provide financial assistance and access to cancer care at Carolina Blood and Cancer Care Associates in South Carolina, will be discussed during a session of the Community Oncology Alliance 2022 Community Oncology Conference.

The first in-person Community Oncology Alliance (COA) meeting in 2 years will feature sessions on practice management, health disparities, and more. A virtual option is available.

Developing alternative payment models for commercial populations in specialties such as oncology is rife with practical challenges. Leading payers and practices share lessons to date.

Purva Rawal, PhD, senior advisor and chief strategy officer, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, addressed attendees at the Association for Accessible Medicines' Access! annual meeting, held in Orlando, Florida, February 15-16.

The president’s aim is a 50% reduction in age-adjusted cancer deaths by 2047. This goal seems audacious, but it is likely achievable.

Response to immunotherapy and survival outcomes were found to be significantly associated with tumor mutational burden in patients with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer.

AccessHope is a program that allows patients and community oncologists to tap into the expertise of City of Hope, often through electronic sharing of records so the patient does not have to travel.

The changes come as Tennessee Oncology must now plan for a gap between the Oncology Care Model and a future alternative payment model from CMS.

On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we speak with Meghan Gutierrez, CEO of the Lymphoma Research Foundation, about financial toxicity, how the pandemic has affected patients’ financial needs when they have cancer, health care disparities and care gaps, and more.