Interviews

Jonathan Thompson, MD, MS, highlighted that reducing delays in molecular testing and treatment initiation is critical for improving lung cancer outcomes, and that clinical trial data suggest immunotherapy duration can often be safely de-escalated in patients who achieve a complete pathologic response.

Jenny Craven, PharmD, BCPS, outlines the strategies UC Davis Health has used to successfully navigate the complex challenges of implementing cell and gene therapies.

A panel held during the Institute for Value-Based Medicine event in Chicago on August 14, 2025, included discussions of access to biomarker testing and perioperative treatment in patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Health systems must prepare for the growing impact of cell and gene therapies by addressing their high costs, complex care pathways, and payer collaboration needs to ensure timely and sustainable patient access.

Deepak L. Bhatt, MD, MPH, MBA, of Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital, spoke at the recent ASPC 2025 Congress on CVD Prevention to illustrate both the benefits and risks associated with renal denervation. Bhatt addresses the procedure in the context of lifestyle interventions and novel drug therapies.

Jonathan Thompson, MD, MS, emphasized that broader molecular testing in early-stage non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is essential to guide perioperative treatment decisions, while selective retesting at progression can identify resistance mutations or new targets to optimize value-based care.

Emilie Aschenbrenner, PharmD, BCOP, outlines how Froedtert Health and the Medical College of Wisconsin use outpatient-based care models, standardized protocols, and collaborative partnerships to improve cost-effectiveness, accessibility, and patient experience.

Jonathan Thompson, MD, MS, emphasized that comprehensive biomarker testing with next-generation sequencing and PD-L1 analysis—implemented as reflex testing at biopsy—is essential to guide precision therapy in lung cancer and to address persistent disparities in timely, equitable access to care.

From pump choices to TikTok trends, building trust with young patients means meeting them and their families where they are.

Clayton Irvine, PharmD, MBA, MS, discusses how pharmacists are essential to advancing payer–provider collaboration in value-based care by shaping formularies, standardizing drug reviews, leveraging real-world evidence, and leading pilot programs to optimize patient outcomes and cost-effectiveness.

Pediatric dermatology faces access disparities due to lack of awareness, language barriers, and training gaps in recognizing diverse skin conditions.

With growing roles in inpatient care and new telehealth models, pediatric pharmacists are reshaping how and where children receive specialized medication support, explained Marry Vuong, PharmD, BCPPS, of Perfecting Peds.

Shared decision-making helps dermatologists align treatment plans with patient needs, improving adherence and outcomes.

Despite its potential, incorporating new treatments like T-DXd into a first-line setting faces several barriers, explains Michael Hassett, MD, MPH, chief quality officer at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.

Emilie Aschenbrenner, PharmD, BCOP, highlights how measurable residual disease (MRD) testing can support value-based care in multiple myeloma by guiding personalized treatment intensity, potentially reducing costs and improving outcomes.

Clayton Irvine, PharmD, MBA, MS, emphasized that optimizing value-based access to cell and gene therapies requires standardized care protocols, coordinated transitions between care settings, careful evaluation of prior authorization and financial assistance options, and formulary decisions that balance clinical outcomes with both direct and indirect costs to patients and institutions.

Amir Fathi, MD, leukemia specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital, discusses the importance of advocacy by both patients and their treatment team and key distinct toxicities that require vigilance.

Emilie Aschenbrenner, PharmD, BCOP, discusses how integrating CD38-targeted therapies into first-line treatment for transplant-ineligible multiple myeloma requires balancing clinical benefit, cost, and insurance coverage.

Clayton Irvine, PharmD, MBA, MS, discusses strategies to address payer-driven biosimilar and prior authorization challenges through integrated digital solutions, while advocating for flexible, regularly reviewed treatment pathways supported by molecular tumor boards and artificial intelligence to balance standardization with personalized, biomarker-driven oncology care.

Clayton Irvine, PharmD, MBA, MS, explains that leveraging high-quality, real-world data; cross-institutional collaboration; standardized care pathways; advanced technologies; and integrated academic–community oncology partnerships can improve treatment decision-making, reduce financial toxicity, address drug shortages, and optimize infusion center efficiency.

Continuing his interview about these results, CEPHEUS lead investigator Saad Z. Usmani, MD, MBA, FACP, FASCO, highlights the minimal residual disease negativity findings.

Explore the disparities in multiple myeloma treatment and how new initiatives aim to improve clinical trial participation among underrepresented patients during a conversation with Joseph Mikhael, MD, MEd, FRCPC, FACP, FASCO, chief medical officer of the International Myeloma Foundation.

Jason Bergsbaken, PharmD, MBA, BCOP, highlights the growing role of real-world data in validating or de-implementing therapies, the need for vigilant postapproval outcomes monitoring, and the value of academic–community oncology partnerships.

Janet Pope, MD, MPH, discusses screening and diagnostic approaches for interstitial lung disease in patients with systemic sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and other connective tissue diseases.

Accessing pediatric dermatology care is challenging due to a shortage of specialists and general dermatologists' reluctance to treat children, but increasing their comfort level with seeing children could help bridge the gap, explained Elizabeth Garcia Creighton, of University of Colorado School of Medicine.

Artificial intelligence–powered insulin dosing and virtual coaching offer faster answers and convenience, but accuracy and oversight are key to building trust.

Social drivers of health are determined primarily by an individual’s economic stability, access to quality education, and health care. These factors also play a key role in the proportion of moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) in an individual’s lifetime, which can also impact their cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.

Cilta-cel’s mechanism of action allows it to penetrate challenging areas of multiple myeloma, providing deep and durable responses even in high-risk patients, explains Surbhi Sidana, MD, MBBS, Stanford University. Still, safety trade-offs should always be a consideration, she adds.

Hadar Avihai Lev-Tov, MD, argues that integrating dermatologists into multidisciplinary health care teams is crucial for providing comprehensive patient care.

In this second part of his interview with The American Journal of Managed Care®, Sanjay Doddamani, MD, MBA, a former senior advisor to CMMI and founder and CEO of Guidehealth, continues a dialogue on the future of value-based care and the promise—and limits—of AI-enabled innovation, reflecting on challenges like rising Medicare costs and patients’ growing financial burdens.