Skylar is an associate editor for The American Journal of Managed Care® (AJMC®) and The Center for Biosimilars®, and joined AJMC® in 2020. She is responsible for covering all aspects of the ever-changing global biosimilar industry and produces content that is accessible and informative for all health care stakeholders.
She has a BA in journalism and media studies from Rutgers University. You can connect with Skylar on LinkedIn.
Optimizing the Role of Oncology Pharmacists in Outpatient Care for Advanced Therapies
November 15th 2024Oncology pharmacists play a vital role in managing complex outpatient therapies by assessing patient suitability, educating patients, and implementing protocols to ensure safe and effective treatment.
Understanding Cognitive Aging: Insights From 25-Year Study
November 7th 2024A 25-year study of the Lothian Birth Cohorts found that childhood intelligence, lifestyle factors, and brain white matter health significantly impact cognitive aging and longevity, highlighting the importance of consent, ethics, and biological sample collection in ongoing research.
FDA Q&A: Addressing Biosimilar Safety, AI in Drug Development, and Supply Chain Challenges
November 6th 2024In a Q&A, an FDA spokesperson discusses efforts to reduce misinformation about biosimilars through education, the agency’s collaboration with global regulators to streamline development, and its work to address drug shortages while emphasizing safety, efficacy, and public trust.
Exploring the Complexities of Biosimilars and Interchangeability
October 30th 2024A panel of industry experts discussed the complexities of biosimilars and interchangeability, emphasizing the challenges in adoption, the need for regulatory and legislative solutions, and the importance of education to combat misinformation.
Navigating Racial Disparities in Psoriatic Arthritis: Insights From Patient-Reported Outcomes
October 14th 2024Individuals with self-reported moderate to severe psoriatic arthritis (PsA) face a higher disease burden, particularly among Black participants, highlighting the need for a better understanding of the interplay between PsA severity and racial and ethnic disparities.
Achieving the Goals of Value-Based Care for Multiple Sclerosis
October 1st 2024Value-based agreements come with risks and benefits, but a health system’s existing facilities and initiatives can help support the goals associated with them, JT Lew, PharmD, MBA, a managed care pharmacist at MultiCare Health System, explained.
New FTC Lawsuit Against PBMs Has Broad Implications for Pharmaceuticals, Ted Okon Says
September 24th 2024Ted Okon, MBA, executive director of the Community Oncology Alliance, spoke with The American Journal of Managed Care® about how the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) lawsuit against pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) could affect the future of pharmaceuticals and oncology.
FTC Takes Legal Action Against 3 Largest PBMs Over Insulin Costs
September 20th 2024The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has filed a legal complaint accusing the 3 largest pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) in the US—Caremark, Express Scripts, and Optum Rx—of inflating insulin costs for patients, prompting renewed calls for PBM reform.
FDA Approves Amivantamab for EGFR-Positive NSCLC With Exon 19 Deletion, Exon 21 L858R Substitution
September 20th 2024The FDA approval of amivantamab-vmjw (Rybrevant) in combination with chemotherapy is the first targeted treatment to cut disease progression risk for EGFR-positive non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Positive KEYNOTE-522 Overall Survival Results in TNBC
September 16th 2024The first overall survival analysis of the KEYNOTE-522 trial showed positive outcomes with neoadjuvant pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy followed by adjuvant pembrolizumab monotherapy vs neoadjuvant chemotherapy alone in high-risk early-stage triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).
Rethinking the Role of PBMs in Health Care Reform
September 11th 2024Policy changes, such as banning spread pricing and promoting transparency, are necessary to realign the pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) market and ensure that health care resources benefit patients and providers rather than being diverted by middlemen, according to panelists at the Community Oncology Alliance Payer Exchange Summit.
Scaling Value-Based Care: Addressing Systemic Issues With Innovative Payer-Provider Collaboration
September 10th 2024The need for improved collaboration between payers and providers is key to successfully implementing value-based care initiatives that address patient needs, ensure measurable outcomes, and overcome challenges, according to panelists at the Community Oncology Alliance Payer Exchange Summit.
Finding Common Ground: Addressing PBM Issues and ERISA Tensions
September 10th 2024A panel discussion at the Community Oncology Alliance (COA) Payer Exchange Summit highlighted the tension between state regulation of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) preemption, emphasizing the need for reforms to balance employer uniformity with addressing PBM practices.
Stakeholder Engagement With State, Local Officials Is Key to Driving Policy Change
September 10th 2024Panelists at the Community Oncology Alliance Payer Exchange Summit 2024 agreed that overcoming health care challenges will depend heavily on collaboration and active engagement from multiple stakeholders in the policy and regulatory process.
Dr Sophia Humphreys Discusses GPO Impact on IDN, Hospital Product Decisions
September 5th 2024Sophia Humphreys, PharmD, director of formulary management at Sutter Health, discusses how group purchasing organizations (GPOs) influence integrated delivery networks (IDNs) and hospitals in making formulary decisions, including the adoption of biosimilars.
Dr Steve Pickette: How AI Can Revolutionize Formulary Management
September 4th 2024Steve Pickette, PharmD, BCPS, explains that artificial intelligence (AI)–driven formulary analysis can significantly enhance the efficiency and accuracy of drug selection processes by rapidly compiling and analyzing evidence.
Dr JT Lew Explores the Barriers to MS Medication Access
September 3rd 2024JT Lew, PharmD, MBA, highlights that the primary challenges for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) in accessing prescribed medications include dealing with the shock of the diagnosis, navigating complex health plan benefits and out-of-pocket costs, and experiencing delays due to insurance barriers.
Biosimilar Updates: Celltrion, Costco Partnership; Amgen Sues Samsung Bioepis; Denosumab Results
August 25th 2024Celltrion's adalimumab-aaty biosimilar is now accessible for all Costco members, while Amgen sues Samsung Bioepis over the latter’s denosumab biosimilar candidate, and GlycoNex progresses its denosumab biosimilar SPD8 to phase 3 trials.
Timothy Caulfield on Enhancing Information Dissemination in Pediatric Dermatology
July 16th 2024Timothy Caulfield, JD, research director of the Health Law Institute at the University of Alberta, discusses strategies for building trust, overcoming cultural and language barriers, and enhancing interdisciplinary collaboration in pediatric dermatology at the Society of Pediatric Dermatology conference.
Combating Major Sources of Misinformation in Pediatric Dermatology: Timothy Caulfield
July 15th 2024Timothy Caulfield, JD, research director of the Health Law Institute at the University of Alberta, takes a look at the major sources spreading dermatology misinformation to children, including social media.