IVBM All Coverage

Jody Agena, PharmD, MBA, director of pharmacy operations, Virginia Cancer Specialists, discusses the various responsibilities of the pharmacist within community oncology settings.

Financial, family, and logistical challenges often lead patients to choose ongoing therapies over stem cell transplantation, says Mansi Shah, MD.

Mansi Shah, MD, explains how treatment sequencing and patient eligibility guide the use of these therapies in multiple myeloma.

Eric Lander, MD, discussed the difficulty that clinicians and pharmacists face in getting insurance coverage for category 2B treatments in the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines, which could affect how patients are treated for cancer.

On April 10, 2025, leaders from Louisiana health systems convened in New Orleans to provide updates on the Healthy State initiative to improve population health in the state.

Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) testing changes occur nearly every year, making consistent updates to National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines important for clinicians to make decisions on the use of these methods of testing, says Eric Lander, MD.

Patients can benefit both financially and clinically by enrolling in ongoing clinical trials, said Eric Lander, MD.

Coverage from IVBM Cleveland, held May 15, 2025.

Making clinical trials easier to find for clinicians and making protocols for entering clinical trials more lenient can help to improve access to clinical trials on a national and local level, explains Eric Lander, MD, of Minnesota Oncology.

Coverage from IVBM Princeton, held May 8, 2025.

The role that artificial intelligence (AI) and other technology can play in care delivery is growing, said Coral Omene, MD, PhD, of Rutgers Cancer Institute and RWJBarnabas Health.

Effective toxicity management in oncology requires pharmacists to document interventions clearly and collaborate closely with multidisciplinary teams, says David Awad, PharmD, BCOP.

Mansi Shah, MD, discusses the role of stem cell transplant in multiple myeloma (MM) and the logistical barriers to wider adoption of bispecific therapies.

Collecting comprehensive patient data, including social determinants of health, is crucial for equitable value-based cancer care, yet administrative burdens could worsen existing disparities, said Coral Omene, MD, PhD, of Rutgers Cancer Institute and RWJBarnabas Health.

Defining "value" in cancer care goes beyond survival and should encompass patient quality of life metrics, said Coral Omene, MD, PhD, of Rutgers Cancer Institute and RWJBarnabas Health.

David Awad, PharmD, BCOP, says pharmacists play a growing role in managing access, safety, and toxicity for these therapies, ensuring treatments are appropriate and sustainable in real-world oncology practice.

Insurance hurdles in value-based cancer care create delays and anxiety for patients and providers, complicating access to essential treatments, explained Coral Omene, MD, PhD, of Rutgers Cancer Institute and RWJBarnabas Health.

Pharmacists enhance value-based care by selecting cost-effective treatments, managing adherence, and preventing hospitalizations through collaborative multidisciplinary teamwork, said Eileen Peng, PharmD, of Astera Cancer Care.

Cathy Eng, MD, FACP, FASCO, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, speaks about the clinical and operational priorities that academic medical centers make front-and-center when caring for underserved populations receiving treatment for cancer.

Pharmacists play a crucial role in managing treatment with chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy and bispecific antibodies, focusing on patient selection and side effects, explained Eileen Peng, PharmD, of Astera Cancer Care.

Meaningful transformation in health care requires ongoing, collaborative efforts, explained Eboni Price-Haywood, MD, MPH, MMM, Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine; and Toni Flowers, PhD, DHL, MBA, LCMC Health.

Novel therapies for multiple myeloma (MM), including chimeric antigen receptor T-cell and bispecific antibodies, extend lives but raise concerns about treatment costs and adherence, and they haven't replaced stem cell transplantation, Harsh Parmar, MD, of Hackensack University Medical Center, explains.

Eboni Price-Haywood, MD, MPH, MMM, Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine, and Toni Flowers, PhD, DHL, MBA, LCMC Health, advocate for understanding individual patient circumstances, ultimately leading to more comprehensive and effective outcomes.

"Value" in oncology should measure far more than clinical outcomes, stated Andrew Chapman, DO, as he argued how rethinking "value" could not only enhance patient care but also drive down costs.

Although immunotherapies and biomarker-driven interventions have transformed lung cancer outcomes, Martin Edelman, MD, Fox Chase Cancer Center, highlighted the present challenge hindering clinicians' abilities to anticipate patients' treatment responses.

Pierluigi Porcu, MD, speaks to the considerations clinicians need to account for to balance cost, patient experience, and outcomes for those with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

Missy Hopson, PhD, Ochsner Health, discussed in detail the challenges of strengthening the patient-centered workforce, the power of community reputation for encouraging health care careers, and the influence of empowered workforces on patient outcomes.

Elizabeth Grush, MBA, speaks to the support, benefits, and holistic considerations that patient-centered care can provide for the betterment of patient experiences and outcomes.

Cathy Eng, MD, FACP, FASCO, participated on the panel discussion, “Health Equity in Cancer Care Delivery,” during the January Institute for Value-Based Medicine® event, “Elevating Value in Cancer Care: Nashville.”

Coverage from the Atlanta Regional meeting of the Institute for Value-Based Medicine.