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Parkinson disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder found in the elderly, currently affecting an estimated 2% of individuals 60 years or older. PD is a multifactorial disease in which both environmental and genetic factors are significantly associated with disease onset. Although symptoms of the disease may present with a tremor or perhaps a speech problem, by the time the symptoms are evident, it is often too late to stop the progression of the disease.

This week, the top managed care news included CMS Administrator Seema Verma calling for more disruption to the healthcare system; former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, MD, reflecting on the agency’s record of innovation; liraglutide demonstrating promise for youth with type 2 diabetes.

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

Insys Therapeutics’ founder and 4 executives have been found guilty for participating in a scheme that bribed doctors to prescribe its addictive painkiller and misled insurers to pay for the drug; the FDA has approved the first vaccine against dengue fever with some restrictions; Senator Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota, has released a $100 billion to combat addiction and improve mental health care.

The venture should help Amgen make use of new FDA guidance allowing broader use of real-world evidence to speed approval of oncology drugs to market.

A randomized controlled trial found that patients hospitalized for an acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive poulmonary disease (COPD) experienced reduced rates of treatment failure when adding azithromycin to their standard of care.

Findings from PARTNER2 show that HIV-positive individuals who were virally suppressed by antiretroviral therapy had no risk of transmitting the virus by having sex without condoms.

Despite stroke being a risk factor for osteoporosis, broken bones, and falls, the majority of stroke survivors are not screened nor treated for these conditions, according to new research.

Findings from a literature review suggest that exercise has the potential to improve non-motor symptoms of Parkinson disease.

DNA rearrangement may be the key to predicting poor outcomes in high-risk patients with multiple myeloma, according to a new study.

Radiotherapy after chemotherapy is controversial, as evidenced by the fact that doctors for some patients in the study did not follow the protocol for those assigned to radiotherapy and may have affected the results.

The Trump administration’s Department of Justice (DOJ) is urging federal courts to strike down the entire Affordable Care Act; a Florida hospital is suing Aetna over the insurer’s Readmission Payment Policy; diabetic amputations disproportionately affect black and Latino individuals.

In a study to be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s annual meeting next week, May 4-10, 2019, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, researchers found that the out-of-pocket costs for neurologic medications have increased significantly over the past 12 years, particularly for those enrolled in high-deductible health plans.

A whistleblower lawsuit against Questcor Pharmaceuticals, which is now a part of Mallinckrodt, alleges bribes and other fraudulent strategies to boost sales of HP Acthar Gel. The drug, first developed in 1952, is approved for 19 different indications, including multiple sclerosis and arthritis.

A new study has examined whether rapid follow-up appointments within 10 days of discharge affect the risk of readmission for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who experience acute exacerbations that lead to hospitalizations.

Progressive House Democrats press for a more aggressive remedy than arbitration to reduce drug prices; FDA permits the sale of a new cigarette alternative; use of methamphetamine surges in some parts of the United States.

The move comes a month after FDA issued a Complete Response Letter on the drug, despite pleas from patient advocates to approve a new treatment option in type 1 diabetes.

The House Committee on Rules held a hearing on the Medicare for All bill submitted by Representative Pramila Jayapal, D-Washington.

Among 6 services commonly used by consumers with employer-sponsored insurance, there was wide variation in median prices across metropolitan areas, and some services had wide variation even within the same metropolitan area.

A federal judge has recused himself from a UnitedHealthcare proton therapy lawsuit; researchers are trying to develop a lifetime flu vaccine; researchers create an inexpensive 3D printed microscope for medical diagnostics in developing countries.

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

A genome-wide association study (GWAS) found that childhood-onset asthma was associated with nearly 3 times as many genes as asthma that develops in adults, in which environmental factors play a much bigger role.

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

Nearly 700 people at California State University and the University of California, both in Los Angeles, were still in quarantine over the weekend after possibly being exposed to measles; the world’s largest seller of cancer drugs, pharma company Roche Holding AG, will lose its top spot with competition from lower-cost drugs, namely biosimilars; findings from a new study showed that blood pressure regulation at or below 130/80 mm Hg lowered the risk of heart attack, stroke, or other complications in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D).

The results may lead to the first new option in years for youth with type 2 diabetes, besides metformin and insulin.

Ultrasound can be a cost-effective alternative to dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, which is considered the gold standard for assessing bone health but has limited use due to the the cost, size, and technical needs required to operate the machine.

Sarcoidosis has rarely been reported with polycythemia vera (PV), an acquired myeloproliferative neoplasm characterized by mutant Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) signaling leading to erythrocyte overproduction. In a recent article in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, physicians report on the case of a female patient with PV and sarcoidosis.