Interviews

As scientists are identifying molecular alterations in patients with later-stage cancers that may be targets in earlier-stage disease, next-generation sequencing is being utilized more in the first-line setting, noted Sigrun Hallmeyer, MD, medical oncologist with Advocate Health.

Kevin Davies, PhD, executive editor, The CRISPR Journal and GEN Biotechnology, discusses how CRISPR has evolved from the initial discovery of the double helix to now, with the technology holding great promise for both genetic diseases and cancers.

Andre Harvin, PharmD, MS, MBA, Cone Health Cancer Center, discusses the vital role of pharmacists in oncology: how they use data to streamline patient visits, work to facilitate patient access to biosimilars, and advocate for their patients.

There is clearly an important role for teplizumab to treat type 1 diabetes (T1D) right now, said Kevan Herold, MD, professor of immunobiology and medicine at Yale School of Medicine.

Ajai Chari, MD, professor of medicine and director of clinical research in the Multiple Myeloma Program at Mount Sinai in New York, discusses a post-hoc analysis of data from the phase 2 GRIFFIN trial.

Samyukta Mullangi, MD, MBA, oncology fellow at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and incoming medical director at Thyme Care, spoke on financial toxicity, heterogeneity of cancer, and other complex factors in oncology care systems that may perpetuate disparities in health care outcomes and delivery among patients.

Lee Greenberger, PhD, chief scientific officer of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, discusses how the pandemic changed clinical trial enrollment in the leukemia/lymphoma space.

Olalekan Ajayi, PharmD, MBA, chief operating officer of Highlands Oncology Group, PA, and 2023-2024 president-elect of the Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC), discusses why he is excited for this year’s meeting, including its many workshops and day 1 keynote on CRISPR.

Edward W. Boyer, MD, PhD, medical toxicologist, The Ohio State University, shares his thoughts on possible reasons why residents in East Palestine, Ohio, are reporting smelling chemicals, feeling ill, and developing rashes.

Carolina Blood and Cancer Care Associates’ No One Left Alone initiative works to dismantle cancer health disparities and increase health care equity among its rural patient population. Sashi Naidu, MD, director of research, discusses delivering next-generation sequencing testing to patients.

Pegcetacoplan was approved by the FDA to treat geographic atrophy (GA), providing a treatment option for patients who previously had none, explained Eleonora Lad, MD, PhD, associate professor of ophthalmology, Duke University.

Kevan Herold, MD, professor of immunobiology and medicine at Yale School of Medicine, talks about some insurers' requirement for patients to have a first-degree relative with type 1 diabetes to qualify for coverage of teplizumab.

Edward W. Boyer, MD, PhD, medical toxicologist, The Ohio State University, discusses respiratory health risks associated with chemical exposure after the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.

Manmeet Ahluwalia, MD, MBA, Miami Cancer Institute, discussed efforts being taken by his organization’s Center for Equity in Cancer Care & Research to address disparities in clinical trial enrollment of minority patients in the United States.

Deepak L. Bhatt, MD, MPH, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, has multiple presentations during the upcoming American College of Cardiology Scientific Sessions, including additional phase 2 results from the ENTRIGUE trial for pegozafermin in severe hypertriglyceridemia. 

Stephen M. Schleicher, MD, MBA, chief medical officer at Tennessee Oncology, discusses the present state of value-based oncology care and what the future may bring when the Enhancing Oncology Model kicks off on July 1.

Braden Manns, MD, MSc, a nephrologist and health economics researcher at the University of Calgary in Canada, will present the results of a randomized trial evaluating the impact of removing co-payments for drugs that treat chronic conditions on cardiovascular outcomes during the American College of Cardiology Scientific Sessions in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Sunday, March 5.

Jeremy Wigginton, MD, vice president of health quality and innovation at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana, explains how the company works with employers to prevent and manage diabetes.

David A. Eagle, MD, New York Cancer & Blood Specialists, discusses the present state of treatment for cancer, which often sees patient financial concerns outweighed by the cost of treatment.

Dennis Scanlon, PhD, professor of health policy and administration at the Pennsylvania State University, discusses how expanded benefits in a Medicare Advantage plan can sometimes come with more limited provider networks, and how the Office of the Inspector General is identifying problems in these plans.

Tochi M. Okwuosa, DO, Rush University Medical Center, discusses ways in which cancer treatments can adversely affect heart health outcomes for patients under the care of oncologists.

Dennis Scanlon, PhD, professor of health policy and administration at the Pennsylvania State University, discusses how extra benefit coverage and the choice to shop for plan options are some factors driving Medicare Advantage (MA) program growth.

On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we speak with Simon F. Haeder, PhD, MPA, professor of public health at the Texas A&M University School of Public Health. He and his co-investigators looked at the accuracy of directories of psychiatrists and nonphysician mental health providers for all plans regulated by the California Department of Managed Health Care in 2018 and 2019.

Joneigh Khaldun, MD, MPH, FACEP, vice president and chief health equity officer for CVS Health, speaks on the goals of the Community Equity Alliance in improving health care disparities, particularly for cardiovascular health and mental health outcomes, within underserved communities.

We’ve found through health equity initiatives that the search for the right telehealth modality is never ending, explained Oncology Consultants of Houston’s Susan Sabo-Wagner, MSN, RN, OCN, executive director of clinical strategy.

At Carolina Blood and Cancer Care Associates, the No One Left Alone (NOLA) initiative is working to break down cancer health disparities among its patients by addressing the social determinants of health that may be preventing equitable access to care.

While there are a number of treatments available for diabetic kidney disease (DKD), the biggest limitation is the lack of early detection, said Daniel E. Weiner, MD, MS, board certified nephrologist and lead navigator at Tufts Clinical and Translational Science Institute.

Amy Crawford-Faucher, MD, vice chair of the Primary Care Institute and Department of Family Medicine at Allegheny Health Network, discussed recent reports from the World Health Organization about COVID-19.

Hilary Tindle, MD, MPH, associate professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University, discusses plans for implementing precision approaches to quitting smoking, as well as patient hesitations around such approaches.

Dennis Scanlon, PhD, professor of health policy and administration at the Pennsylvania State University, discusses some of the reasoning behind Part D benefits changes in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the cost questions that remain.