Interviews

Some populations face longer diagnostic delays for hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), but medical education can help improve knowledge of common dermatologic diseases and reduce delays in diagnosis, said Haley Naik, MD, FAAD, associate professor of dermatology, University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine.

Ghassan Abou-Alfa, MD, medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, expands on findings that durvalumab plus tremelimumab demonstrated an overall survival benefit at 4 years for certain patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma.

Stephen Nicholls, PhD, MBBS, Monash University and Victorian Heart Hospital, expands on the patient characteristics and potential impacts of COVID-19 on SURPASS-CVOT, the phase 3 cardiovascular outcomes trial for tirzepatide.

On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we speak with the lead researcher from a study published in the July 2023 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® on whether social determinants of health is a predictor for identifying high-cost utilizers among those with commercial health insurance.

Dayna Johnson, PhD, MPH, MSW, MS talks about the necessity of community partnerships as the recipient of this year’s Associated Professional Sleep Societies (APSS) Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Leadership Award at SLEEP 2023 and how inquiring into the community is vital for integrating healthy sleep practices.

Data from the Survey of Unmet Needs in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML SUN) trial show that quality of life (QOL) and shared decision-making are priorities for patients, said Fabian Lang, MD, of Goethe University Hospital in Frankfurt, Germany.

With a broad research focus on heart disease risk reduction through the development of novel treatment strategies, Stephen Nicholls, MBBS, PhD, Monash University and Victorian Heart Hospital, Melbourne, Australia. discusses contributions in the space from therapies with systemwide effects.

Despite having 8 adalimumab biosimilars on the market now, patients may only see 1 or 2 available through their insurance, explained Laura Wingate, executive vice president, Education, Support, & Advocacy, Crohn's & Colitis Foundation.

Some of the many barriers patients with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) face include accessing knowledgeable providers, insurance coverage of treatment, and the way the health care system is set up, said Haley Naik, MD, FAAD, associate professor of dermatology, University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine.

The ASPC Congress on CVD Prevention is taking place in Arlington, Texas, July 21-23. Here, G.B. John Mancini, MD, University of British Columbia, emphasizes the importance of having an international perspective on preventive cardiology.

Joseph Mikhael, MD, MEd, FRCPC, FACP, chief medical officer of the International Myeloma Foundation, discussed the manufacturing challenges sometimes seen with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies and strategies being implemented to improve access for historically underserved patients.

Franco Locatelli, MD, PhD, head of the Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology at IRCCS Bambino Gesu Children’s Hospital in Rome, discusses the treatment of both adult and pediatric patients with chronic graft versus host disease (cGvHD).

Judite Blanc, PhD, is lead author on the abstract, “Social Determinants of Sleep Disorders Among Multiethnic Americans in the NIH All of Us Research Program,” which was presented on June 5th at the SLEEP 2023 conference.

The biggest barriers in collaboration are communication and connectivity, said Susan Escudier, MD, FACP, vice president of value-based and quality programs for Texas Oncology.

Wojciech Jurczak, MD, PhD, head of the Department of Oncology at Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, discusses the changing therapy landscape for relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).

The ASPC 2023 Congress on CVD Prevention will take place in Arlington, Texas, from July 21-23, and in this interview, President-Elect Michael Shapiro, DO, FASPC, runs down what attendees should look most forward to this year.

Some of the results with biologics and Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors for atopic dermatitis have been better in practice compared with clinical trials, said Emma Guttman-Yassky, MD, PhD, FAAD, of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

As Humira biosimilars enter the market, patient education about biosimilars is crucial to prevent the nocebo effect when patients switch from the reference product, explained Laura Wingate, executive vice president, Education, Support, & Advocacy, Crohn's & Colitis Foundation.

Franco Locatelli, MD, PhD, a professor and hematologist from Italy, discusses results from the the phase 2 REACH 5 studies assessing the use of ruxolitinib in pediatric patients with chronic graft versus host disease (cGvHD).

Sydney Townsend, executive director of digital health at Texas Oncology, explains how cancer diagnosis and treatment can impact a patient’s mental well-being and how she assesses a patient’s overall cancer care experience.

Fabian Lang, MD, of Goethe University Hospital in Frankfurt, Germany, discussed the importance of good communication between health care providers and patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML).

Martin Griesshammer, MD, PhD, Johannes Wesling University Clinic, discusses past and current efforts to improve treatment options for patients with polycythemia vera.

In a disease such as chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), shared treatment decision-making between providers and patients is key, said Fabian Lang, MD, of Goethe University Hospital in Frankfurt, Germany.

Melinda Gooderham, MD, MSc, FRCPC, Peterborough Regional Health Centre in Ontario, Canada, breaks down which subgroup of patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) may benefit the most from emerging therapies, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of these therapies.

Judite Blanc, PhD, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, discusses how total sleep needs vary among ages and the consequences of these changing hourly totals.

Adam Colborn, JD, director of government relations at the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP), also explains what health systems can do to improve patient access to biosimilars.

Unless all populations are represented adequately in trials, it will be hard to know if a drug works the same in all populations as it does in one specific one, explained Robert Dellavalle, MD, PhD, MSPH, of University of Colorado School of Medicine and Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center.

Andrew Bolibol, a PhD candidate in Harvard University’s Health Policy Program, highlights trends and gaps in health insurance coverage between LGBT and non-LGBT adults.