Mary Caffrey is the Executive Editor for The American Journal of Managed Care® (AJMC®). She joined AJMC® in 2013 and is the primary staff editor for Evidence-Based Oncology, the multistakeholder publication that reaches 22,000+ oncology providers, policy makers and formulary decision makers. She is also part of the team that oversees speaker recruitment and panel preparations for AJMC®'s premier annual oncology meeting, Patient-Centered Oncology Care®. For more than a decade, Mary has covered ASCO, ASH, ACC and other leading scientific meetings for AJMC readers.
Mary has a BA in communications and philosophy from Loyola University New Orleans. You can connect with Mary on LinkedIn.
Few At-Risk Adults Are Being Referred to Diabetes Prevention Programs, Study Finds
The CDC created the National Diabetes Prevention Program following a study of a lifestyle intervention; new results show that more than a third of adults who are referred to a program take part, but only a fraction are referred.
CGM Linked to Low A1C Among Blog Readers With Type 1 Diabetes
The study by researchers at Penn State College of Medicine found those with type 1 diabetes who read blogs had lower glycated hemoglobin (A1C) levels, and the combination of reading blogs and using continuous glucose monitoring produced the best glycemic control.
Harvard Team Designs Algorithm for HRD, May Find More Patients Eligible for PARP Inhibitors
The scientists used machine learning to test the algorithm and believe it could double the number of women who would be treated with poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors for breast cancer.
Providers, Industry Raise Concerns About CMS Plan for CAR T-Cell Reimbursement, Reporting on PROs
Academic medical centers and a group representing community oncology practices have both raised concerns about CMS’ proposed reimbursement plan for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, the individually manufactured gene treatments that are revolutionizing cancer care. The plan will be finalized next month, a year after the federal government launched a national coverage analysis to determine how to pay for these lifesaving yet expensive cancer treatments.
Experimental Cancer Vaccine Shrinks Tumors in Form of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
A preliminary study discussed how a vaccine regimen stimulated dendritic cells to attack tumors, which could point to a new way of making immunotherapy effective in cancers that have proved resistant to treatment thus far.
Sanofi Offer Sets Monthly Price of $99 for Insulin Supply
The program comes as Congress has singled out the cost of insulin in its scrutiny of drug prices. Patients with type 1 diabetes cannot survive without the hormone, and press reports have highlighted the plight of young adults who ration insulin after they reach age 26 and cannot stay on family insurance plans.
Step Therapy in Medicare Advantage Hurts Patients, Providers, Says Schwartzberg
Step therapy, which requires that patients try the payer’s preferred treatment before the one a physician recommends, is harmful to both sides of the doctor-patient relationship, according to Lee B. Schwartzberg, MD, medical director of the West Cancer and Research Institute, who spoke at the 2019 Community Oncology Conference, held in Orlando, Florida.
Pharma Discusses How to Reframe Value in Era of Precision Medicine, Combinations
Healthcare experts may agree the shift from volume to value is well under way, but the definition of value has many answers, according to pharmaceutical company representatives discussing the issue at the 2019 Community Oncology Conference in Orlando, Florida.
Strategies for Fighting Consolidation in Community Oncology
At the Community Oncology Alliance's 2019 Community Oncology Conference in Orlando, Florida, a panel discussed strategies for practices to collaborate and survive the recent wave of consolidation. Targeting employers is one solution.
FreeStyle Libre CGM Sees Rising Use With Pharmacy Chain Distribution
When the FDA approved Abbott’s FreeStyle Libre Flash continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system in September 2017, diabetes advocates hailed the move as long overdue and one that might lead to greater penetration of glucose monitoring technology for those with type 2 diabetes.
Bariatric Surgery Study Shows Potential of Using CGM in Clinical Research
In 2017, as advocates and researchers discussed the potential for continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) to become a tool in clinical trials, most of the discussion involved testing in new therapies. The discussion culminated in an international consensus on CGM, published in December 2017, that included standards for assessing hypoglycemia in clinical trials.
Genomic Analysis of High-Risk Leukemia Finds Nearly Half of Cases May Respond to Precision Therapy
A comprehensive genomic analysis of acute erythoid leukemia (AEL) found that 45% of patients had mutations in signaling pathways that drive uncontrolled cell growth, and evidence shows these leukemias may respond to existing precision treatments.