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Episode 10 - Treatment Complexities
During this segment, the panelists discuss why treating multiple sclerosis (MS) is complex. Patricia K. Coyle, MD, explains that there is a lack of updated versions of clinical guidelines, and Gary M. Owens, MD, discusses the need for individualized therapy and its effect on drug cost comparisons when reviewed by managed care professionals.
Dr Coyle explains that old guidelines published by the American Academy of Neurology are reviewed by practitioners strictly to review data, and are referred to as “basic principles.”
When reviewing an agent’s effectiveness and making treatment decisions, Dr Coyle and Leslie Fish, PharmD, explain that neurologists review a drug’s safety, efficacy, tolerability, and the extent of the patient’s disease, among other patient factors. Dr Coyle further explains that there is a need for improved biomarkers.
Additionally, when managed care reviews the costs of MS agents, Dr Owens believes that because most drugs are therapeutically equivalent, the lowest priced options are the most popular. Another issue, as explained by Dr Owens, is that payers are making judgment calls about treatment based off evidence studied in populations, even though MS necessitates an individualized treatment approach.As Patricia K. Coyle, MD, Leslie Fish, PharmD, and Gary M. Owens, MD, discuss outstanding issues related to the treatment of multiple sclerosis, the panelists conclude that there is a need for improved biomarkers, and recognize that MS necessitates individualized treatment, which impacts cost comparison decisions made by managed care professionals.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued letters to 10 companies to warn them that certain drug patents were improperly listed; the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) will begin testing ground beef for bird flu particles; rural Americans are more likely to die early from 1 of the 5 leading causes of death than those who live in urban areas.
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Examining Low-Value Cancer Care Trends Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic
April 25th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with the authors of a study published in the April 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® about their findings on the rates of low-value cancer care services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
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USPSTF Lowers Age for Biennial Mammograms to 40, Citing Early Detection Benefit
April 30th 2024The USPSTF lowered the recommended starting age for mammograms from 50 to 40 years, citing moderate benefits for early detection in this age group. Disparities persist, especially for Black women, highlighting the need for improved access to health care and social support.
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Navigating Health Policy in an Election Year: Insights From Dr Dennis Scanlon
April 2nd 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with Dennis Scanlon, PhD, the editor in chief of The American Journal of Accountable Care®, about prior authorization, price transparency, the impact of health policy on the upcoming election, and more.
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Makers of medical tests will have about 4 years to show the FDA that their new offerings deliver accurate results; after previously decreasing for 27 years, US tuberculosis (TB) cases increased every year since 2020; a US district judge rejected a challenge by Bristol Myers Squibb and Johnson & Johnson to the Medicare drug price negotiation program.
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