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Raludotatug deruxtecan demonstrates antitumor activity and manageable safety in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer.

Raludotatug Deruxtecan Demonstrates Promising Efficacy, Safety in Platinum-Resistant Ovarian Cancer

The case shows how such cardiac involvement can mimic neurologic disease and demand complex, multidisciplinary management.

Rare Case of Soft Tissue Sarcoma Spreading to the Heart Highlights Diagnostic, Therapeutic Challenges

As open enrollment begins November 1, 2025, millions are signing up under enhanced subsidies that are set to expire at the end of this year.

5 Consequences If ACA Premium Subsidies End in 2026

®). She joined the AJMC team in 2021, where she produces written and video content covering multiple disease states.

She has a BA in journalism & media studies from Rutgers University. You can connect with Hayden on 

Despite social media frenzy, there is limited evidence around testosterone’s impact on muscle, mood, and other menopausal symptoms.

Jury Still Out on Testosterone Benefit to Menopause

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Topic

Today, we are bringing you a conversation on how topical therapies can effectively manage atopic dermatitis.

Brian Keegan, MD, PhD, FAAD, a dermatologist with Princeton Dermatology, spoke with:

Alexa Hetzel, MS, PA-C, physician assistant with Schweiger Dermatology Group

Vikash D. Oza, MD, director of pediatric dermatology at NYU Langone

Amy Spizuoco, DO, FAOCD, dermatologist and dermatopathologist at True Dermatology

In addition to discussing the clinical benefits and impact on patient outcomes of using topical therapies for atopic dermatitis, the panelists explored how health economics research informs treatment decisions by demonstrating the cost-effectiveness and accessibility of topical therapies. The panel also analyzed the potential health care cost savings and resource optimization achieved through strategic use of topical treatments and atopic dermatitis management.

The experts noted that the experience of adolescent and pediatric patients with atopic dermatitis differs from adults, and they have their own unique challenges, which impact the types of medicines chosen.

Oza also highlighted the chronic nature of the disease.

“We often see patients who've been experiencing their disease at a level we wouldn't want them to for a while, and I think it's important to say it's a chronic condition,” he said. “Eczema is not a 1- or 2-week issue that you have for your child. This is something that, for many families, they're going to be dealing with for years on end.”

When families come into the clinic, there is a lot of hand-holding, Spizuoco said, to explain the treatments. She recommends having handouts and doing demonstrations to show basic skin care and how to pat dry instead of rubbing dry.

Topicals play a role for every pediatric patient, Hertzel added, because some patients are hesitant to get a shot or can’t swallow pills.

“We may be only left with topical options, and with the chronicity of the disease, maybe we want to get control in a short term and use something where we're just kind of plowing it down so they're not so itchy, they can sleep, and everybody in the family can sleep as well,” she said.

Listen above or on one of these podcast services:

Experts discuss how topical therapies effectively manage atopic dermatitis in pediatric patients, enhancing outcomes and addressing unique challenges.

Managed Care Cast Presents: Leveraging Topical Therapies for Pediatric Atopic Dermatitis

 talks with Barbara Kelley, executive director of the Hearing Loss Association of America. In the conversation, we discuss her organization's role in advocating for hearing loss awareness, breaking down 

, and empowering individuals through legislation and public 

. Kelley also highlights the importance of early intervention, advancements in hearing technology, and the social and 

 faced by individuals with hearing loss, advocating for better hearing health integration into overall wellness.

To learn more about integrating audiological care, psychological support, and mental health resources alongside hearing loss awareness, please click to read 

Discover how the Hearing Loss Association of America advocates for hearing loss awareness and hearing health integration through a dialogue with Barbara Kelley, executive director.

Advocacy, Access, and Awareness: Addressing Barriers in Hearing Health

CDC Pulls COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendation for Pregnant Women, Healthy Children

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr, announced that the CDC will no longer recommend routine COVID-19 vaccines for healthy children and pregnant women, a move supported by leaders of the FDA and National Institutes of Health (NIH). However, the CDC’s website still lists COVID-19 vaccination as recommended for these groups, citing studies that show vaccination during pregnancy can protect both mother and infant from severe illness.

The announcement coincides with the emergence of a new COVID-19 variant, NB.1.8.1, spreading in the US, and follows a recent proposal from FDA officials to require randomized controlled trials for COVID-19 vaccines in healthy individuals under 65 years before broader approvals are granted. Notably, the CDC’s Advisory Committee did not vote on the reported schedule change.

ACP Experts Say FDA, CDC Moves May Undermine COVID-19 Vaccine Coverage for Millions

A new commentary published yesterday by leaders of the American College of Physicians (ACP) warns against the increasing politicization of science and public health, calling for humility, transparency, and inclusivity in future crisis responses. Reflecting on the COVID-19 pandemic, the authors highlight how political influence and misinformation eroded public trust, particularly around vaccination. They criticize recent federal decisions that complicate access to COVID-19 vaccines, as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires insurers to cover all Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)–recommended vaccines. The FDA's recent limit on COVID-19 booster vaccines and the CDC's lack of recommendations for young children and pregnant women complicate ACIP's ability to approve off-label vaccine use.

Stressing that public health should prioritize both scientific rigor and real-world context, the authors advocate for a risk-based approach that considers social and caregiving factors, not just clinical ones, and affirm the need to safeguard individual autonomy in health care decision-making.

RFK Jr Suggests Creating “In-House” Publications for Government Scientists

Kennedy is reportedly planning to ban government scientists from publishing in leading medical journals such as

, claiming they are corrupted by pharmaceutical interests. Instead, Kennedy proposes creating new, in-house, government-run journals for federally funded research, arguing NIH funding alone proves scientific legitimacy.

Critics, including public health experts, warn this move could undermine scientific credibility, limit peer review, and politicize medical research. The proposal follows significant research funding cuts under the Trump administration, heightening concerns about government overreach in shaping science.

Contributor: Beyond the Sloganeering—A Data-Driven Analysis of Recent 340B Growth

The 340B Drug Discount Program has grown rapidly, reaching $148 billion in 2024, despite a shrinking vulnerable patient population. Critics, including insurers and employers, argue that hospitals are driving growth through profit-driven strategies, especially with high-cost specialty drugs. Although 340B advocates blame drug price inflation, a comprehensive analysis found that from 2018 to 2024, the overwhelming majority of the program’s growth—over 79% at list price and over 100% at discounted prices—was due to increased utilization, not price hikes. Even among top-selling drugs and those with high price increases, utilization remained the primary driver.

Oncology Biosimilars Offer Potential Relief From Financial Burden of Cancer Care

 may help alleviate some of the financial toxicity faced by both patients and health care systems due to cancer care, according to a pair of abstracts presented at the 

2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting

. A comprehensive analysis of 2022 data reveals that financial toxicity in cancer care varies widely by insurance type, income, race, and geography, with uninsured and low-income patients facing the greatest burden. Prescription costs alone can consume over 11% of a low-income patient’s income, and overall medical costs can exceed $130,000 annually. Disparities also affect women, minorities, and less-educated individuals.

In contrast, rising use of oncology biosimilars has helped lower Medicare cancer drug spending by 23% in 2022, with further savings possible. Researchers call for policy interventions to improve affordability and equity in cancer care.

A quick roundup episode of major health policy developments, from shifting COVID-19 vaccine guidance and scientific publishing controversies to rising cancer care costs and the impact of oncology biosimilars.

Managed Care Cast News Roundup: June 3, 2025

 speaks with Lindsey Leininger, PhD, health policy professor and faculty director of the Center for Health Care at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College, and Allister Chang, MPA, co-founder of 

, a social-impact startup that aims to improve community well-being by transforming everyday moments in laundromats into opportunities to build trust, support 

, and connect families with health and social services.

, "Unmet Health Care and Health-Related Social Needs of Laundromat Users," published in this month's issue, identifies laundromats as a promising community-based setting for Medicaid outreach, with Medicaid enrollees comprising the majority of users and facing disproportionately high levels of unmet needs. 

During the conversation, Leininger and Chang highlight how engaging with enrollees at laundromats can help foster trust, address unmet social needs, and strengthen Medicaid engagement. 

Lindsey Leininger, PhD, and Allister Chang, MPA, highlight the potential of laundromats as accessible, community-based settings to support Medicaid outreach, foster trust, and connect families with essential health and social services.

Laundromats as a New Frontier in Community Health, Medicaid Outreach

speaks with Larragem Raines, MS, director of research at the 

She also defines dynamic pricing and explains how it is incorporated into the MDD value model, topics she expands upon in a recent 

Looking ahead, Raines discusses the potential of 

 (AI) to improve diagnosis, treatment, and 

Larragem Raines, MS, of the Center for Innovation & Value Research, discusses the organization's major depressive disorder (MDD) open-source value model, dynamic pricing, and the future role of artificial intelligence in care.

Inside the Center's MDD Value Model and Its Use of Dynamic Pricing

, Colleen Ereditario, MPH, RD, LDN, program manager, shares how the “Food as Medicine” approach of 

 (AHN) addresses food insecurity and guides patients to improve their health.

Through its innovative Healthy Food Centers, AHN identifies patients at risk by using a screening tool focused on social drivers of health. Patients are then referred to 1 of 6 centers, where they receive immediate and low-barrier access to nutritious food. What sets these centers apart is that they are staffed by registered dietitians who provide personalized nutrition counseling, taking into account individual health needs and cultural preferences.

When aiming to meet the needs of a community or an individual, taking the time to understand their needs, instead of assuming you already know, should be the priority—one of the first things Ereditario observed when working with AHN in the early era of the program in 2018. “The best way to assess what their needs are is by asking the people that you're serving what they need,” she says. “That's how you're going to provide the most valuable resources: just listening to what they're saying.”

Nutrition is a key factor for health; when access to food is limited to low-quality options or hindered altogether, it has direct consequences on an individual’s health and can easily exacerbate chronic conditions. "Because there is a strong correlation between those who are food insecure and having poor health outcomes, that's why we really address these services within the health care system," Ereditario explains. 

AHN collaborates with local food banks and organizations to ensure a steady supply of fresh produce and essential items. Ereditario also discusses the implications of potential Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit cuts and how these changes can impact demand and resource allocation. When looking to the future of the Health Food Centers, she shares plans to expand services and meet community needs through partnerships and grants.

Learn about how Allegheny Health Network's "Food as Medicine" initiative tackles food insecurity and enhances health through personalized nutrition support.

Frameworks for Advancing Health Equity: Food as Medicine

Today, we are bringing you a conversation on the use of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) technology and its transformative potential in diabetes care.

Davida Kruger, NP, a certified nurse practitioner at Henry Ford in the Division of Endocrinology, spoke with:

Jaime Murillo, MD, senior vice president and chief medical officer, medical affairs, United Health Group

Jeremy Wigginton, MD, chief medical officer at a regional Blue plan

Ian Neeland, MD, director of cardiovascular prevention, University Hospitals Harrington Health and Vascular Institute, and associate professor of medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine

Ken Cohen, MD, executive director of translational research, Optum Health.

The topics of conversation for today’s podcast include how CGM addresses therapeutic inertia, enhances glycemic control, and drives improvements in patient outcomes and health care efficiency, as well as the barriers to adoption, strategies for expanding access, and the cost-effectiveness of CGM implementation.

While CGM use started with patients with type 1 diabetes, it has transitioned to use in type 2 diabetes, Neeland explained. CGM allows for “more real-time, faster therapeutic interventions,” Wigginton added.

“I think we all know that the CGM in the right patient population with the right physician and the right care team managing that data can absolutely improve clinical inertia to earlier intervention [and] better patient outcomes,” he said. “I think that's a well-known fact that that can happen.”

CGM can provide several metrics beyond just actual glucose, and since the technology provides a 10- to 14-day snapshot of data, it provides average glucose, time in range, the Glucose Management Indicator, and glucose variability. These metrics are now also playing a role in Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set measures and quality targets for accountable care organizations, Cohen noted.

However, there are varying coverage policies for CGM that impact patient access and outcomes.

“Health plans need to standardize more their coverage decisions, and that has to be done based on evidence-based medicine,” Murillo said. “There is this perception out there that health plans make unilateral decisions based on their own convenience. The reality is all those coverage decisions should be based on evidence.”

Listen above or through one of these podcast services:

A group of experts discusses the use of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) technology in diabetes and its transformative potential in managing the disease.

Managed Care Cast Presents: Unlocking the Potential of CGM Technology

On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we speak with George Jones, chief operating officer at UpScript Health, an online pioneer of eprescribing 20 years ago, to learn how telemedicine has progressed from asynchronous conferencing to real-time video consultation, enabling the treatment of complex conditions beyond primary care. Although technology access remains a challenge for some, Jones emphasizes telemedicine’s potential to reduce wait times and improve efficiency, especially for conditions requiring specialist care.

A major theme in the telemedicine space is access to 

 treatments, particularly glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) medications like semaglutide, which was recently included on the second 

 under the Inflation Reduction Act. We also discuss how Medicare’s limited obesity coverage may reduce the impact of these negotiations, advocating for policies and step therapy models that can help to lower patient costs, and the regulatory concerns associated with compounded GLP-1s as an alternative, knowing that these medications are prepared outside FDA oversight.

George Jones of UpScript Health discusses telemedicine's evolution from basic e-prescribing to real-time video consultations, expanding treatment beyond primary care.

Telemedicine’s Evolution and Expanding Access to Obesity, Specialty Care

 relaunches its Frameworks for Advancing Health Equity podcast series in 2025 with a focus on improving 

The Greater Philadelphia Business Coalition on Health

, which featured discussions on how employers can understand the mental health needs of the workforce, build a culture around health, and explore innovative treatment approaches. This episode offers a deep dive into psychedelic-assisted therapy with Jessica Tracy, who spoke at the event. Her presentation, Revolutionizing Mental Health with Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy, set the stage for employers and unions that want to support the mental health of their employees and address access barriers to evidence-based ketamine treatments.

Tracy serves as the head of Growth and Partnerships at 

, a company dedicated to improving mental health by providing innovative psychedelic-assisted treatment services that can be integrated into existing benefits plans, therefore facilitating greater access to these therapies.

Previous episodes of Frameworks for Advancing Health Equity:

Pharmacy Support for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Jessica Tracy, head of Growth and Partnerships at Enthea, shares how employers and unions can support mental health and address access barriers to evidence-based ketamine treatments.

Health Care Cost

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