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Topical application of ruxolitinib cream significantly, and rapidly, decreases pruritus, noted Andy Blauvelt, MD, MBA, dermatologist and clinical study investigator at Oregon Medical Research Center, a dedicated clinical trial site.

Guidelines on the use of biologic drugs in patients with psoriasis were mostly seen as having medium-to-high quality; however, investigators said that more work needs to be done to ensure applicability to clinical practice.

Patients with diabetes who have small kidney size at the beginning of peritoneal dialysis (PD) have a substantial risk of mortality.

The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted to uphold the original language of the emergency use authorization for Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccination, and is possible the 1-dose vaccine could resume Saturday.

There are a number of new biologic options for treating psoriasis, but undertreatment is still a concern, and more long-term data are needed, according to Junko Takeshita, MD, PhD, MSCE, at the National Association of Managed Care Physicians Virtual Spring Managed Care Forum.

Until now, treatments for atopic dermatitis have had safety concerns, but a new understanding of the disease has led to novel and exciting agents being developed, according to Emma Guttman, MD, PhD, of Mount Sinai.

Now that investigators have a better understanding of the biological mechanisms of migraine, new treatment and prevention options are making their way to patients and fueling an exciting time for the field, according to a presenter at the National Association of Managed Care Physicians Virtual Spring Managed Care Forum.

After a more than 35-year pursuit, the licensing of a gene therapy product for treating hemophilia may be available within 2 years.

Adalimumab was the most commonly used tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibitor (TNFi), accounting for 47% of 90,000 incidences of TNFi use. Rituximab was the most commonly used non-TNFi, for 44% of 70,000 incidences of non-TNFi use.

Investigators explored common challenges cited by hospital staff as barriers to implementation and adherence with national guidelines for managing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

A recently published study found that the DCTclock, a test for cognitive assessment, was associated with greater detection of biomarkers related with cognitive decline in patients who had yet to show any symptoms when compared with traditional testing methods.

With the costs of biologic drugs increasing, biosimilars have emerged as an attractive option for containing costs and expanding access to treatment. However, some barriers to wider uptake still need to be addressed, according to a presentation at the National Association of Managed Care Physicians Virtual Spring Managed Care Forum.

While the introduction of sodium glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors has benefitted patients with type 2 diabetes and impacted guidelines globally, these expensive therapies have managed care implications, explained Richard E. Pratley, MD, of AdventHealth Diabetes Institute and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Egyptian dermatologists were asked about the effect of COVID‐19 on prescription patterns, appointment rescheduling, therapy decisions, and telemedicine use.

Medications and management processes known to be ineffective or harmful in infants with bronchiolitis were tossed in favor of targeted interventions in hospitals, resulting in improvements in bronchiolitis care.

Coverage of our peer-reviewed research and news reporting in the health care and mainstream press.

The long-term findings come from a subgroup analysis of 120 patients in Japan taking part in an extension of the 3-part, double-blind, randomized, controlled reSURFACE 1 trial.

Patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) who received ruxolitinib cream experienced a rapid, clinically meaningful, and sustained improvement in their itch.

For cases of advanced skin cancer that are not candidates for surgery or radiation therapy, we have Hedgehog pathway inhibitors and PD-1 inhibitors, each of which has 2 approved medications, noted Todd Schlesinger, MD, FAAD.

A study analyzes the effects of homelessness on childbirth; some states report drops in demand for COVID-19 vaccines; researchers examine long-term risks of severe COVID-19.

This week, the top managed care news included COVID-19 vaccine eligibility opens to all adults nationwide; a spotlight on payment models and value-based care; barriers to mental health care for children and teenagers.

Mitigating the burden of HIV in the United States means taking a more comprehensive approach to diagnosis, testing, and treatment of the disease, said a speaker at the National Association of Managed Care Physicians Virtual Spring Managed Care Forum.

Washout periods are necessary to flush out any lingering effects of drugs that patients are taking before a study, explained Jonathan Silverberg, MD, PhD, MPH, associate professor of dermatology, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences.

According to the report, direct medical costs represented less than half ($418 billion, or 43%) of overall annual costs.

Despite concerns that patients with Fabry disease might be at heightened risk of severe symptoms from SARS-CoV-2, early data find that most patients experience mild or moderate symptoms.

The findings come from the group’s review of over 30 years’ worth of research of the presence of autoimmune cytopenias and autoimmune diseases in lymphoid and myeloid neoplasms.

Metastatic breast cancer has a poor prognosis, but emerging targeted therapies are providing some progress in the treatment of the disease, explained Filipa Lynce, MD, medical oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School.

At a session at the National Association of Managed Care Physicians Virtual Spring Managed Care Forum, an Aetna executive discussed how one employer used the payer's data to see how its workforce was affected by social determinants of health (SDOH).