What We’re Reading: Rising Flu Cases; RSV Drug Shortage; Forever Chemical Restrictions
November 20th 2023Health officials said that at least 7 states reported high levels of illness, with cases also rising in other parts of the country; a group of Senate Democrats demanded answers about the shortage of nirsevimab, a new respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) drug; Pentagon officials told Congress that eliminating per- and polyfluorinated substances would undermine military readiness.
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The FDA has approved capivasertib plus fulvestrant for the treatment of patients with HR-positive, HER2-negative, locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer harboring 1 or more PIK3CA, AKT1, or PTEN alteration, following progression on at least 1 endocrine-based regimen in the metastatic setting or recurrence on or within 12 months of completing adjuvant therapy.
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Biosimilar Substitution Can Reduce TCOC, Improve Provider Performance in Value-Based Payment Models
November 20th 2023A simulation study estimated the impact of biosimilar substitution on total cost of care (TCOC) and provider financial performance in the final performance period of the Oncology Care Model.
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AMA Continues Call for Medicare Payment System Fix During Interim Meeting
November 20th 2023The American Medical Association (AMA) is continuing to urge Congress to stop the impending 3.4% cut to physicians, and other organizations also weigh in on the pros and cons of the 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule.
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Cytomegalovirus Common in Patients With Ovarian Cancer, May Contribute to Cognitive Impairment
November 19th 2023Researchers noted that it remains unclear whether cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is a specific cause of worsened cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI), or if it is a biomarker for immune suppression.
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In this interview with The American Journal of Managed Care®, Katie Queen, MD, addresses the complexity of obesity as a medical condition, pivoting to virtual care while ensuring that patients who lived in a rural location continued to receive adequate care, and the importance of integrating awareness of obesity and chronic disease prevention into local food culture.
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Advancements Needed in Research on SCD-Associated Pulmonary Hypertension
November 18th 2023To stress the importance of considering pulmonary complications in sickle cell disease (SCD), researchers compiled an overview on the state of research and available treatment options for patients with SCD associated with pulmonary hypertension.
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Telitacicept Efficacious, Safe in Treating Patients With RA, Inadequate MTX Response
November 18th 2023In these phase 3 findings presented at ACR 2023, the safety and efficacy of this drug was proven in American College of Rheumatology-20 (ACR20), ACR50, and Disease Activity Score in 28 joints with Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate responses.
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Review Explores Link Between Tumor Burden, CAR T-Cell Therapy Efficacy
November 17th 2023A recent review aimed to characterize the relationship between tumor burden and clinical outcomes in patients treated with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, highlighting the potential mechanisms of high tumor burden impacting CAR T-cell failure.
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Researchers Identify Potential Biomarkers for SMA Motor Improvement Following Nusinersen Treatment
November 17th 2023A retrospective, exploratory analysis identifies biomarkers predictive of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) response to nusinersen and suggests the efficacy of using machine learning algorithms to anticipate patient outcomes.
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Governor Kathy Hochul proposed this week that New York become the first state to require health systems to implement cyber defenses; a new report from the World Health Organization and the CDC highlighted a staggering rise in measles cases and deaths in 2022; a study published this week claimed that more than a tenth of fecal immunochemical tests used for routine colorectal cancer screening could not be processed by labs.
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New Study Links Sphingolipids With Palmitic Acid to Increased Risk of Sudden Cardiac Death
November 17th 2023Plasma ceramides and sphingomyelins with palmitic acid were linked to a 34% and 37% increased risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) per higher SD of log sphingolipid levels, respectively.
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Olaparib Does Not Improve OS vs Chemo in Recurrent Platinum-Sensitive Ovarian Cancer
November 17th 2023The use of olaparib as a monotherapy or in combination with cediranib did not provide a statistically significance overall survival (OS) benefit compared with standard of care platinum-based chemotherapy in patients with recurrent, platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer.
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Data on Delandistrogene Moxeparvovec Can Inform Future Gene Therapies
November 17th 2023The FDA approved delandistrogene moxeparvovec-rokl (Elevidys, Sarepta Therapeutics) in June to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy in ambulatory pediatric patients aged 4 through 5 who have a confirmed DMD gene mutation.
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