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Managed Care Cast Presents: New Evidence and Economic Considerations in IPF Care
Experts discuss the clinical and economic burden of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), emerging clinical data, and strategies to improve patient outcomes.
Today, we are bringing you a conversation on the evolving landscape for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PPF) treatment.
Ryan Haumschild, PharmD, MS, MBA, vice president of ambulatory pharmacy at Emory Healthcare and Winship Cancer Institute, spoke with:
- Marilyn Glassberg, MD, the John W. Clarke Professor and Chair of medicine at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine
- Ayodeji Adegunsoye, MD, MSc, PhD, FACP, FCCP, assistant professor at the University of Chicago
- Janet Pope, MD, MPH, professor of medicine and division member of rheumatology at the University of Western Ontario in Canada
IPF and PPF are increasingly prevalent conditions that pose a growing burden on both patients and health care systems. Despite the availability of FDA-approved antifibrotic therapies, the median survival for patients with IPF and PPF remains less than 5 years after diagnosis—underscoring the critical unmet needs that persist in this field. The panelists discussed the impact these conditions have on patients' lives, evaluated emerging agents, and addressed economic considerations that affect treatment decisions and health care resource allocation.
“Living with IPF is a whole different ballgame,” said Adegunsoye. “Patients have to grapple with new dyspnea and exertion. Shortness of breath when they take a few steps. They can't go to the park to play with their grandkids anymore. They can't play tag anymore with their family members. That is very distressing, and they have to learn coping mechanisms that help them get over it.”
Glassberg highlighted the importance of diagnosing patients early and the challenges around that.
“Does the patient just come in with a really bad cough and really short of breath? Not usually,” she said. “Part of the problem is picking them up early because it’s progressive.”
Pope highlighted the polypharmacy issues these patients might face because they have other comorbidities they’re being treated for, such as systemic sclerosis or heart failure, which can affect adherence rates.
“The less often you have to take a drug, the more likely you'll take it in general,” she said. “But tolerability has been an issue with patients, and by tolerability, I will say lack of tolerability on some drugs,” she added.
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