Interviews

The FDA recently approved the supplemental biologics license application for teclistamab (Tecvayli; Johnson & Johnson) to treat relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma on a biweekly dosing schedule.

Ateyeh Soroush, a PhD candidate at the University of Calgary, explains her ongoing study utilizing near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to investigate hypoxia-related brain function impairment in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Kathy Zackowski, PhD, associate vice president of the National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society, discusses the importance of MS rehabilitation and lists several successful strategies.

Ari Green, MD, of the University of California, San Francisco, details the benefits of remyelination for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), as well as the challenges faced when conducting remyelination trials.

Mitzi Joi Williams, MD, founder and medical director of Joi Life Wellness Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Center, explains the issue of underrepresentation in MS clinical trials and the potential for digital health technologies to help overcome this barrier.

Krystyn Van Vliet, PhD, vice president for research and innovation at Cornell University, discusses MS drug discovery barriers and overcoming them using 3D platforms.

For many patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), their disease will be chronic, giving them a long-term cancer experience, said Jennifer Vaughn, MD, of The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James Cancer Hospital.

Stephen Speicher, MD, Flatiron Health, highlights the organization's frameworks for ensuring ethical artificial intelligence (AI) usage, emphasizing the importance of providers and health systems asking critical questions when considering AI tools.

Dalia Rotstein, MD, MPH, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Toronto, lists barriers to multiple sclerosis (MS) research and care delivery.

Marisa McGinley, DO, explains how technology can help improve access to multiple sclerosis (MS) care.

Mila Felder, MD, FACEP, emergency physician and vice president for Well-Being for All Teammates, Advocate Health, talks about tailoring the Stanford Model of Professional Fulfillment to support the postpandemic oncology workforce.

Leslie Busby, MD, chairman of the US Oncology Network Pharmacy & Therapeutics Committee, discusses the process of developing patient-centered care plans within the framework of an accountable care organization (ACO) and the importance of staying up to date with the latest best practices and therapies.

Teclistamab (Tecvayli) was first approved for use in patients who have relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) in October 2022, making it a first-in-class bispecific antibody.

Fabiola Molina, MD, MHS, is a practicing hospitalist and assistant professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine and Yale New Haven Hospital. An immigrant from Mexico, her experiences straddling 2 worlds, while attempting to navigate with her family the complicated safety-net system for health care in Texas, were key influences to her ardent focus on health equity.

In this final part of our interview with James Robinson, PhD, MPH, he underscores the need for employer education about the health plans they offer, fostering managed competition among hospital systems to drive down costs, and innovation in financing drug development.

Patrick Vermersch, MD, PhD, joined The American Journal of Managed Care® for an interview on promising data from a phase 2 clinical trial on frexalimab in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) and associated neurodegeneration.

While adopting new payment models can come with challenges, there are strategies that can help oncology practices optimize their approaches, said Kathy Oubre, MS, CEO of Pontchartrain Cancer Center.

Daniel Ontaneda, MD, PhD, Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) Forum 2024 chair, discussed what attendees can expect at this year's meeting, as well as how the theme of "Breaking Barriers in MS" will be implemented.

Shauna Downs, PhD, MS, is an associate professor in the Department of Health Behavior, Society, and Policy at the Rutgers School of Public Health. A former figure skater, her research now focuses on interventions to promote healthy and sustainable food choices and exploring how our changing climate, food systems, diet, and nutrition are inextricably linked.

In honor of Black History Month, Leesha Ellis-Cox, MD, MPH, sheds light on the racial disparities in mental health care and the prevalence of misdiagnosis.

Population-level data highlight varied risk profiles among patients with indolent systemic mastocytosis (ISM), highlighting the need for individualized treatment approaches, according to Sudipto Mukherjee, MD, PhD, MPH, a physician in the department of hematology and medical oncology at Cleveland Clinic.

In part 2 of our interview with Robinson, he addresses the potential for exacerbated health care disparities in the aftermath of hospital price markups and how insurance plan design often disadvantages the patients who most need expensive infusion therapies but cannot afford them.

Douglas K. Marks, MD, is a breast medical oncologist and director of the Clinical Trials Office, Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island, as well as associate professor in the Department of Medicine at NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine. As a phase 1 clinical trialist, he sees both patients with breast cancer and those who are looking to receive innovative treatments for their early-stage disease.

Kiana Mehring, MBA, director of strategic partnerships, managed care at Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, shares her thoughts on future directions in value-based oncology care and research.

In the January issue of The New England Journal of Medicine, James Robinson, PhD, MPH, and his fellow investigators published their findings from an analysis of how insurer drug expenditures on infused drugs influenced price markups at hospitals.

Carrie Kozlowski, OT, MBA, chief operating officer and cofounder of Upfront Healthcare, explains how the company emphasizes personalized engagement to overcome technological, cultural, and social barriers while Medicaid disenrollment rates are increasing.

Expert interviews highlight advancements and challenges in diabetes care technology, including automated insulin delivery systems and continuous glucose monitors, as well as improvements in insurance coverage.

Sudipto Mukherjee, MD, PhD, MPH, hematology and medical oncology, Cleveland Clinic, discusses methods for identifying patients with indolent systemic mastocyctosis (ISM) using health claims data.

"I'll say what I don't think the issue is—it's not technology. We can solve this problem with technology," Carrie Kozlowski, OT, MBA, explains in the interview.

In this interview, Chandler Cortina, MD, MS, FSSO, FACS, Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin, addresses the impact that prioritizing mental health care can have on patients as they navigate through their cancer journey.