Interviews

Molly Dean, MSW, policy advisor at Siftwell, discusses how states have encouraged managed care entities to invest in local communities, build partnerships with nonprofits, and support social determinants of health initiatives.

Xin Hu, PhD, MSPH, hypothesizes that these telemental health disparities could be driven by language barriers, historical mistrust, and systemic challenges.

Bridgette J. Picou, LVN, ACLPN, presented research on the lived experiences of women living with HIV and going through menopause on Tuesday, during the mini symposia, “Hot Topic: Menopause and HIV.”

Early diagnosis and prompt antiretroviral therapy initiation are critical for children due to the rapid progression of HIV in infants, explains Priscilla Tsondai, MD, MPH, and unlike adults they require age-appropriate formulations, caregiver support, and strategies to ensure adherence.

To reduce care disparities and prevent them from exacerbating among people living with HIV who have long COVID, education and user-friendly diagnostic methods are key.

This research investigated averted hospitalizations in Oregon and Washington, which had greater than 75% uptake of at least 1 dose of an mRNA-based COVID vaccine.

Medication-assisted treatment is an excellent approach to managing addiction and related emotional symptoms, Rachel Rohaidy, MD, of Miami Neuroscience Institute with Baptist Health, explains.

Steven Daniel Daveluy, MD, FAAD, advocates for dermatologists to adopt cultural humility, engage in continuous education, and navigate ethical considerations to provide equitable and supportive care to LGBTQ patients.

This research on a T-cell–targeting vaccine in HIV has implications for future study design to incorporate consideration of age and years on antiretroviral therapy (ART) to evaluate the level of immune reconstitution.

Shawn Kwatra, MD, FAAD, physician scientist at the University of Maryland Medical System, presented data at the American Academy of Dermatology 2025 annual conference on the rapid efficacy of topical ruxolitinib for itch and inflammation, while also outlining a comprehensive approach to chronic pruritus management.

Despite a surge in telemental health use after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, minority racial/ethnic group children had lower utilization rates than White children, according to Xin Hu, PhD, MSPH.

Elizabeth Jones, MD, FAAD, Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals, advocates for teledermatology as a vital tool to enhance health care equity by improving access for underserved populations and reducing physician burnout.

Tiffany Meng, PharmD, an oncology pharmacist, UCSF Health, discusses how pharmacists help mitigate financial toxicity for patients with breast cancer.

Brittany Craiglow, MD, FAAD, analyzed the promising use of baricitinib for severe pediatric alopecia areata. She highlighted late-breaking data from the BRAVE-AA-PEDS study (NCT05723198), emphasizing the balance between treatment efficacy and safety.

Lawrence Eichenfield, MD, FAAD, from Rady Children's Hospital and UC San Diego School of Medicine, highlighted the importance of shared decision-making in atopic dermatitis treatment, emphasizing personalized care based on patient history and the favorable long-term safety profile of topical ruxolitinib.

Using artificial intelligence (AI) to help expedite processes for physicians can help them spend more face time with patients and stay up-to-date with the medical literature, says Douglas Flora, MD, FACCC.

Rebecca Vasquez, MD, FAAD, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, emphasizes the necessity of addressing social determinants to improve dermatological care and access for underserved populations.

States must analyze the data on Medicaid and social determinant programs to understand the consequences of how potential policy changes will impact residents, Molly Dean, MSW, Siftwell, explains.

Fred Locke, MD, Moffitt Cancer Center, explains why this hematologic cancer is such an attractive target for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, specifically allogeneic, which uses healthy donor cells.

Jorge García, PharmD, MS, MBA, MHA, discusses key takeaways from ACCC Capitol Hill Day and innovative strategies in pharmacy optimization.

One of the hot topics at this year's Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections will be long COVID: potential causes, biomarkers, and the significance of viral rebound.

Rachel Rohaidy, MD, of Miami Neuroscience Institute with Baptist Health, shares how she offers a personalized approach to treating substance use disorder in high-functioning patients.

Optimizing telehealth during public health emergencies to minimize in-person appointments puts less burden on patients and may lead to better outcomes, according to Chun Chao, PhD, MS, of Kaiser Permanente Southern California.

Polycythemia vera is a classic myeloproliferative neoplasm and a chronic type of leukemia, which often leads to overproduction of various blood cells.

Rebecca Haberman, MD, of NYU Langone Health, highlights precision medicine and potential prevention strategies, two areas of promising psoriatic arthritis research.

Attendees and experts from the Southeastern Educational Congress of Optometry (SECO) 2025 meeting highlight research and sessions they will take away.

Tiffany Meng, PharmD, an oncology pharmacist, UCSF Health, shares how pharmacists can collaborate with physicians to find the most effective and affordable therapies for patients.

Seemal R Desai, MD, FAAD, president of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), emphasized his commitment to enhancing the upcoming 2025 annual meeting by introducing new events and expanding educational offerings to better serve and engage members.

Brianna Rhue, OD, FAAO, discusses the pitfalls of myopia treatment and accessibility of that treatment.

These findings may not be generalizable to uninsured patients with ovarian cancer, who face unique barriers to care compared with insured patients.