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Greater non-motor symptom burden may be associated with thalamic atrophy in Parkinson disease (PD), suggesting that the thalamus has a significant role in processing sensory information including visceral afferent from the gastrointestinal tract and regulating states of sleep.

Highmark announced this week that its outcomes-based contract with AstraZeneca for the respiratory combination medication of budesonide/formoterol (Symbicort) revealed positive results in improving outcomes for those with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The Trump administration is supporting Stephen Hahn, MD, FASTRO, the chief medical officer of MD Anderson Cancer Center, as the next FDA commissioner, and the current acting commissioner, Ned Sharpless, MD, is returning to his old job as head of the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

This week, the top managed care stories included a report from the FDA considering how to avoid drug shortages; a white paper finds rising comfort with telehealth even as use of digital health tools stagnates; data show a spike in the number of uninsured children.

Broad population-based genomic screening has the potential to improve patient care by detecting genetic causes of disease before they occur; however, the economics behind this approach have not fully been validated, according to a session on the clinical and economic utility of whole-genome sequencing at the AMCP Nexus 2019 meeting.

An analysis of a carrier-based mandatory obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) program on truckers’ non–OSA-program medical insurance claim costs revealed substantial healthcare cost savings, according to study findings.

Rising rates of obesity and diabetes have raised concerns that more people could be headed for end-stage renal disease (ESRD); thus, Medicare has been seeking ways to reduce the cost of care and to improve the quality of life for people on dialysis. Scientists are focusing on whether more patients with early-stage type 2 diabetes should take sodium glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors, which have been shown to slow renal decline.

Two studies report that children who get measles are more susceptible to other illnesses later; Indiana decides not to pursuue Medicaid work requirements; a Trump administration rule taking effect mandating health insurance for new immigrants is causing confusion.

Panelists YuQian Liu, PharmD, and Carly Rodriguez, PharmD, FAMCP, discussed migraine treatment advances, available real-world evidence, and migraine management strategies with moderator Charles Collins, MS, MBA, at AMCP Nexus 2019 in National Harbor, Maryland.

Here are the top 5 articles for the month of October.

Although eculizumab is only approved by the FDA to treat 3 rare indications, the high and increasing net sales for the drug have raised concerns about off-label use, according to a research letter in JAMA Internal Medicine.

A new review published in The Lancet describes the future landscape of therapeutics in development for what the authors call the next generation of HIV prevention, or PrEP 2.0.

As the number of disease-modifying therapies available for multiple sclerosis increases, patients and physicians can struggle to identify the right one for the right patient, highlighting the need for a patient decision aid.

The 19 signers of the letter to HHS Secretary Alex Azar and CMS Administrator Seema Verma include Senate Finance Committee members and lawmakers from states with high rates of diabetes and obesity.

Reducing the use of metered-dose inhalers for asthma could shrink the carbon footprint while achieving cost savings if less expensive brands of dry powder inhalers are used, according to new research findings.

A lawsuit filed by a former executive of Juul claims they knowingly sold 1 million contaminated pods; Novartis trial for its Zolgensma gene therapy stopped amid safety concerns; charts show worsening air quality in Louisiana.

Here are 5 interesting findings from the October 2019 issue of AJMC®.

A report released this week by the Kaiser Family Foundation illustrates how immigration policy changes at the federal level are affecting an increasing number of families, some of whom are disenrolling themselves and their children from California’s Medicaid program and not renewing or not enrolling in other programs, even though they are eligible and not directly affected by the policy changes. Experts are worried about long-term health effects.

The FDA today approved Biogen and Alkermes’ diroximel fumarate, an oral agent, to treat relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), including clinically isolated syndrome, relapsing-remitting disease, and secondary progressive disease. The drug, approved under the 505(b)(2) regulatory pathway on the basis of its bioequivalence to dimethyl fumarate (Tecfidera), will be sold as Vumerity.

The number of uninsured children in the United States rose by more than 400,000 between 2016 and 2018 and now stands at over 4 million; mortality from heart failure rose 20.7% between 2011 and 2017 and is likely to keep climbing sharply; US District Judge Myron Thompson issued a preliminary injunction temporarily blocking Alabama from enforcing a near-total abortion ban.

Use of digital health tools appears to have leveled off in 2019, according to one study, but another finds that use of telehealth is poised to grow considerably.

The FDA released a report that finds 3 factors responsible for the problem, including a lack of incentives for manufacturers to produce less profitable drugs.

As increasing evidence suggests that a disrupted sleep-wake cycle can drive the development of Alzheimer disease and other neurocognitive disorders via β-amyloid accumulation, a new study finds that the association between β-amyloid accumulation and cognitive impairment can be mediated by sleep disruption even after the onset of cognitive decline.

Regular use of chemical disinfectants among female nurses was found to be a potential risk factor for the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to study findings.

The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget released a detailed report on potential finance options for implementing "Medicare for All"; employers beginning to lessen dependence on high-deductible health plans; Juul to cut nearly 500 jobs by end of 2019.

Access and quality are inseparable, so providers prioritizing population health goals can find success by starting from a solid foundation of patient access. So how can providers streamline access to care and directly influence population health? The answer lies with sophisticated patient engagement technology.

The idea that obesity is linked to mood disorders has been posited since at least 2004.

Quadruple therapy for newly diagnosed patients with multiple myeloma (MM) led to significantly longer progression-free survival (PFS), according to an abstract presented at the 17th International Myeloma Workshop 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts, last month.