Center on Health Equity & Access

Chelsee Jensen, PharmD, BCPS, of Mayo Clinic, commented on the recent FDA biosimilar approvals and what they mean for the industry's future, as well as how to ensure biosimilars are accessible to all patients.

In the aftermath of the Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling, Anita Allen, PhD, highlights the challenges to abortion rights in the United States, emphasizing disparities faced by marginalized communities, outlining threats to reproductive health care, and calling for collective action and advocacy to defend constitutional privacy and uphold the dignity of all individuals.

Two posters presented at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine 2023 Scientific Congress & Expo address racial and socioeconomic factors that impact fertility and birth outcomes.

Panelists at AMCP Nexus provided an overview of the US obesity epidemic, dispelling myths about the causes of obesity, highlighting racial and economic disparities across the nation, and tackling how the managed care space can ensure accessibility to care for all patients.

"The racial and ethnic distribution of United States sperm donors differs significantly from the United States population, particularly for those of African American or Black descent,” Cassie Hobbs, MD, explained.

Wiyatta Fahnbulleh, PsyD, and Pamela Blackwell, PsyD, LMSW, presented on the cultural limitations of the Personality Assessment Inventory and Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory for assessing individuals for third-party reproduction.

Nearly 50% of pregnancies worldwide are unplanned, leading to significant health, economic, and environmental consequences, Stephanie Page, MD, PhD, explains in her presentation at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine 2023 Scientific Congress & Expo.

School nurses play an overworked and understaffed role; Merck's immunotherapy Keytruda (pembroilzumab) has been granted approval for pre- and postsurgical treatment in lung cancer; the FDA is helping to curb tobacco-related health disparities.

Age played a part in the decrease in vision testing in adolescents, along with fewer reported tests in primary and school-based settings.

Alma Habib, MD, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, talks about the fact that disparities are able to be recognized in leukemia/lymphoma care, but the questions of how to address these disparities remain.

Older patients often face financial challenges on fixed incomes with different payer systems like Medicare, Sarah Wall, MD, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, says. Accessing treatment centers far away is difficult due to support system disruptions, leading to increased stress and financial strain.

A European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology study explored the pathway from dermatologic consult to diagnosis to treatment and outcomes in the health care system.

David Adamson, MD, FRCSC, FACOG, FACS, reproductive endocrinologist, surgeon, founder and CEO of ARC Fertility, and past president of The American Society for Reproductive Medicine, discusses the importance of professional guidelines in reproductive medicine.

According to the National Cancer Institute, in the year following a cancer diagnosis, the average cost of medical care plus medication exceeds $42,000, with some treatments having a price tag of more than $1 million.

The American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) 2023 Scientific Congress & Expo in New Orleans will focus on the latest advancements and challenges in reproductive health, including new treatments and technology, evolving legislation, and the importance of professional guidelines.

Medicare Part A and B premiums are set to increase by $9.80 next year; 20 experts from various specialties and institutions have developed updated brain death guidelines; many Black patients are strongly affected by multiple COVID-19 infections due to a lack of health insurance and health care access.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of remote cancer care, in which notable gaps in care should be addressed, according to a new study.

Director Takiyah Durham, MBA, and Margaret Larkins-Pettigrew, MD, share how the program is improving maternal and infant care in Pittsburgh, PA, at Highmark Health.

Compared with White patients, Black male patients had a higher prevalence of palmoplantar psoriasis, according to one study.

Fabric Health is transforming laundry time into an opportunity for community well-being, engaging families in laundromats to address health needs and connecting them with health care experts and needed social services. Adaptable and problem-solving oriented, the social-impact startup helps to bridge pandemic-exacerbated disparities by meeting people where they are, fostering health equity.

A commentary questions the characterization of cryoprecipitate, which is not pathogen-reduced, as an alternative modality for treating hemophilia, despite its substantial risk of transmitting blood-borne pathogens to patients.

The researchers noted that their findings highlight the need to understand the challenges in delivering evidence-based care for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

In an observational cohort study, factors such as education, income, and marital status correlated with MS severity outcomes.

Asian and Hispanic/Latino veterans experience insomnia at some of the highest rates, but these patient groups are also among the least likely to seek treatment for the common sleep disorder.

With methamphetamines continuing to inflict damage on the Western United States, panelists at the CHEST Annual Meeting 2023 shared sobering statistics and important considerations in treating patients with pulmonary hypertension associated with use of this destructive drug.