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There is not enough evidence that manual therapy—a clinical approach of using skilled, physical, hands-on procedures to improve function, lessen pain, and facilitate movement—can successfully be used to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is not only a leading cause of mortality among US adults, but also responsible for high medical costs that burden both the healthcare system and individual patients. New research shows that 1 in every 5 patients with ASCVD is unable to afford his or her medical bills, and even among patients with insurance, financial hardship related to medical costs is prevalent.

Half of children in with treatable mental health disorders in the United States do not get treatment; a small study demonstrated benefit with immunotherapy for glioblastoma; a task force recommends counseling services for new mothers at risk of depression.

How can the health industry ensure that cutting-edge gene therapies and other curative treatments get to the patients that need them, without leaving payers financially exposed? Representatives of payers and biotechnology companies discussed some of the novel discussions that are taking place as they work through issues of expense and access during “Paying for Cures: Ensuring patient access and system sustainability," a 1-day event in Washington, DC.

While one-third of primary care providers (PCPs) reported participating in breast cancer treatment decisions with their patients, a significant amount of them also indicated that they were not comfortable or did not feel that they had the necessary knowledge to participate in the treatment decision-making process.

The bill signed into law this week in Utah scaling back the successful voter referendum last fall that paved the way for a Medicaid expansion means that fewer people will be covered at potentially higher cost, according to organizations that recently published briefs on the issue.

Experts at the “Paying for Cures: Ensuring patient access and system sustainability" event discussed how the healthcare system can pay for curative therapies that have high upfront costs with benefits that accrue over time.

Preventive screening and treatment advances have contributed to saving lives for patients with breast cancer. A new study has identified that these changes could be responsible for averting up to 614,500 breast cancer deaths since 1989.

A systematic review has found that immune checkpoint inhibitors are safe in patients with cancer living with HIV, and that these patients have similar objective response rates for certain cancers that have been seen in uninfected patients with cancer.

HHS released 2 long-awaited rules meant to transform how health records and medical claims are delivered and communicated, with one aimed at aggregating electronic health records and claims information into an interoperable mobile format that patients could call up on their devices and another that would require that access to electronic health information come at no cost to the patient and end information blocking.

The CAQH Index, an annual study of progress to simplify healthcare administrative functions, found signs that the US healthcare system has become more efficient and the cost of doing business may be declining.

On February 6, the FDA approved caplacizumab-yhdp (Cablivi), the first therapy specifically indicated for the treatment of acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (aTTP) in adults. The drug is approved for use in combination with plasma exchange and immunosuppressive therapy.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is expected to make a decision soon regarding stricter regulations of polyfluoroalkyl compounds, or PFAS, which are chemicals in coatings meant to protect consumer goods from stains, water, and corrosion that have been found in drinking water; teenagers are turning to Reddit and other sites to figure out how to get vaccinated if their parents subscribe to antivaccine beliefs; Regeneron and Sanofi announced they are cutting the price of its proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitor alirocumab (Praluent).

The advocacy group said the type 1 diabetes community is concerned about the payer's decision because not every device works the same way for every person. After a 2016 policy change affecting adults, 2 pump makers pulled devices from the US market, although other innovation has continued.

Two studies presented at the 60th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition examined patient preferences in multiple myeloma (MM) treatment and the importance of understanding these preferences when making treatment decisions.

Five-year results from the extended randomized MGTX trial demonstrated that the addition of thymectomy to prednisone leads to long-lasting lower quantitative myasthenia gravis (QMG) scores and prednisone dosing.

Molecular minimal residual disease (MRD) testing during the first 4 days of induction therapy does not differentiate responders and nonresponders and should not be used in predicting clinical response for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), according to the results from a recent study.

As both men and women age, metabolism tends to slow down with time. A recent study, however, found that women retain a higher metabolic rate throughout their lifespan.

A study recently published in Health Affairs found that Medicare beneficiaries without low-income subsidies will pay more than $6000 a year out-of-pocket on multiple sclerosis (MS) drugs alone.

Results from a recent study showed that only age affects cortical thickness or volume, and intracranial volume affects cortical volume in migraine.

A survey of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who had contracted community-acquired pneumonia showed that the additional illness caused a significant burden, such as lost time from work, as well as a burden on their caregivers.

Hoping to clarify the pathogenic mechanism that underlies migraine attacks triggered by sound, researchers have identified specific signal components associated with unpleasantness for patients with migraine.

Once identified, ovarian tumors are usually surgically removed due to the presumed risk of complications associated with the diagnosis. Researchers recently looked to evaluate the incidence of cyst complications and malignancy during the first 2 years of follow-up after the tumors were classified as benign.

In the 30 days after the 2016 presidential election, demand for long-acting reversible contraceptives increased more than 20% compared with the same time the previous year.

During AcademyHealth National Health Policy Conference, held February 4-5, in Washington, DC, healthcare stakeholders joined together at the nation’s capital to provide insight into the latest updates in policy and care delivery that are shaping the future of healthcare.

Six areas that need improvement emerged from a workshop examining best practices and models to reduce hospital readmissions in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

According to a study abstract presented at the 60th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting & Exposition, using a skin patch for continuous temperature monitoring is feasible in the inpatient setting and has the potential to detect febrile neutropenia earlier.

The Caregiver Strain Index is a brief self-assessment tool that accurately measures the burden in caregivers of patients with multiple sclerosis.