Christina is the associate editorial director of The American Journal of Managed Care® (AJMC®) and Population Health, Equity & Outcomes, and joined AJMC in 2016. She oversees the publication of the print journals, from manuscript submission to publication, and works with the editors in chief and editorial boards to promote the journals.
She has a BS in public health from Rutgers University. You can connect with Christina on LinkedIn.
Many Popular "Hypoallergenic" Moisturizers Contain Skin Irritants, Fragrances
September 19th 2017Consumers spend $2 billion worldwide on body moisturizers each year, but a new study found that many skin-quenching products marketed as hypoallergenic or fragrance free actually contain some of the allergens known to pose a risk of contact dermatitis.
Rates of Preventive Mastectomy for Breast Cancer Influenced by Surgeon Attitudes
September 18th 2017In light of rising rates of preventive mastectomies among women with breast cancer, a new study looks at whether patient and surgeon factors, including attitudes toward breast conservation, affect the odds of receiving this surgery.
Representatives Probe CMS for Further Detail on New CAR-T Therapy Payment Agreement
September 14th 2017After CMS and Novartis devised an outcomes-based payment approach for the new chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T treatment tisagenlecleucel (Kymriah), a group of representatives are requesting more information on the specifics of the agreement.
Bringing Drugs to Market Costs Less Than Previously Thought, Study Finds
September 12th 2017How much does it cost for a drug maker to develop a new drug? Prior estimates have put this figure as high as $2.7 billion, but a new study indicates that the median cost of development for 10 cancer drugs was actually $648 million-a substantial discrepancy.
Using Patient-Reported Distress to Guide the Timing of Palliative Care Conversations
September 6th 2017After presenting research on the use of a patient-reported distress survey to guide the timing of palliative care discussions, lead author Stuart Goldberg, MD, chief scientific officer for Cota, Inc, discussed how it represents a shift in the paradigm of end-of-life conversations.
ICER Evaluates Cost-Effectiveness of Cognitive Therapies for Chronic Pain
September 2nd 2017A new draft report from the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) indicates that cognitive and mind-body therapies may be valuable additions to usual care for chronic back and neck pain, but that more evidence is needed to understand the cost-effectiveness implications for both conditions.
FDA Emphasizes Risks of Pembrolizumab in Multiple Myeloma After Reviewing Halted Trials
September 1st 2017Less than 2 months after it ordered a stop to 3 trials of pembrolizumab (Keytruda) in multiple myeloma due to safety concerns, the FDA has released a more detailed analysis of what went wrong in these trials.
Association Found Between Walking Test Performance and Patient-Reported Outcomes in COPD
August 31st 2017Among the many exercise tests used to assess patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a 6-minute walking test was most strongly associated with patient-reported outcomes and quality of life.
Race, Socioeconomic Status Linked to Rehospitalizations Among Patients With Advanced Cancer
August 30th 2017A new study finds that individuals with advanced cancer have high rates of hospitalization in the year after diagnosis. Palliative care aimed at preventing hospital admissions may be a useful tool, especially for the populations most at risk of rehospitalization.
Texas Hospitals Use Social Networks to Seek Volunteer Nurses for Hurricane Relief Efforts
August 30th 2017Through the power of social media, hospitals in Texas are asking nurses from across the country to lend a hand in assisting the overwhelmed staff who have been working overtime to care for survivors of Hurricane Harvey.