Interviews

There are increasingly more bladder-sparing strategies for patients with even aggressive bladder cancer, said Alexander Kutikov, MD, FACS, chair, Department of Urology, Fox Chase Cancer Center.

Kimberly Westrich, MA, of the National Pharmaceutical Council, explains how the 340B program is linked to increased drug spending and the hidden costs associated with it.

With more therapies available in bladder, kidney, and prostate cancers, collaboration among health care providers can help ensure patients are getting the most appropriate care for their type and stage of cancer, said Mary Dunn, MSN, NP-C, OCN, RN, of University of North Carolina.

Seth Berkowitz, MD, MPH, associate professor of medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, discussed the challenges associated with developing a whole-person health index and potential solutions for the "wrong pocket" problem.

In 2024, the Asembia Specialty Pharmacy Summit celebrated 20 years and speakers highlighted the conversations around improving access and affordability taking place at the meeting.

Survey results from more than 1500 patients with diabetes revealed that 57% believed glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) weight loss drugs alone could be a "silver bullet" for managing their health goals.

Inma Hernandez, PharmD, PhD, professor at the University of California, San Diego Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, discussed the potential sources of savings associated with the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program.

In part 2 of our interview with Binod Dhakal, MD, he addresses how CARTITUDE-4 study findings help to advance the clinical understanding of ciltacabtagene autoleucel (cilta-cel) and the importance of vigilance and education on the treatment’s adverse effects.

There are many options to try for patients if one therapy doesn’t work, but there are challenges around getting new treatments into the clinic, said Joshua Meeks, MD, PhD, of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

Dr William R Short discusses how clinical trials and treatment by a doctor should change with new treatment available and needed.

Patients with small or slow-growing tumors or those with comorbidities that make them higher risk are likely better candidates for active surveillance, explained Yuzhi Wang, MD, of Henry Ford Health Vattikuti Urology Institute.

Evolving treatment for bladder cancer is going to require a multidisciplinary team to ensure patients are receiving optimal care, said Neal D. Shore, MD, FACS, medical director of the Carolina Urologic Research Center.

Chesahna Kindred, MD, MBA, FAAD, board-certified dermatologist, Kindred Hair & Skin Center, discusses how to accurately represent findings from diverse populations and translate them into clinical practice.

In this interview, Chris Pagnani, MD, PC, shares how telemedicine is transforming mental health care by making psychiatry accessible for patients, especially for those in health care deserts.

Darius Lakdawalla, PhD, director of research, Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics at the University of Southern California, discusses the growing importance of value assessment in the US market, highlighting research gaps and the need for equitable access to prescription drugs, as a presenter at the ISPOR 2024 conference.

William R. Short, MD, MPH, of the University of Pennsylvania, discusses how a label update for bictegravir can help provide safe and effective HIV treatment for pregnant people.

While the novel payment models for expensive cell and gene therapies have been effective, they need to continue evolving, said Joe DePinto, MBA, of McKesson.

Joanne Mizell shares insurer strategies in addressing the escalating rates of metabolic diseases, highlighting the importance of holistic treatment methods like lifestyle modification programs, which integrate nutrition, physical activity, and community engagement.

The health-system specialty pharmacy has the unique ability to coordinate better with the provider and take a team approach that reduces the chances of dropping the ball on the patient’s care.

The annual meeting of the American Urological Association (AUA) not only presents the newest therapies coming out but showcases the latest in how treatments are being used in the real world, said Stephen Freedland, MD, of Cedars Sinai.

There are multiple levers that need to be pulled to allow biosimilars to come to market more broadly in the US, explained Fran Gregory, PharmD, MBA, vice president of emerging therapies, Cardinal Health.

Martin Dahl, PhD, of AnaptysBio discusses the findings and limitations of a study analyzing use of ANB032 in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD).

When the same product comes to market with additional indications, irrational pricing decisions result in ever-increasing prices instead of volume translating to lower costs, said Jon Mahrt, MBA, of OptumRX.

The real-time monitoring of patients through medically integrated dispensing (MID) programs can reduce costs of care and remove barriers, said Christie Smith, PharmD, MBA, vice president, pharmacy and payer strategy, Cencora.

To help celebrate and recognize National Minority Health Month, we are bringing you a special month-long podcast series with our Strategic Alliance Partner, UPMC Health Plan. Welcome to our final episode of this limited series and our conversation with Janine Jelks-Seale, MSPPM, director of health equity at UPMC Health Plan.

Payer coverage of biosimilars is always shifting as new ones come to market, explained Tasmina Hydery, PharmD, MBA, BCGP, associate director in digital solutions, Cencora.

Michael Morse, MD, FACP, MHS, medical oncologist at Duke Cancer Center, explained the importance of managing toxicities in the changing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment landscape to ensure patients have the best possible outcomes in the front line and beyond.

Kathy Zackowski, PhD, National MS Society, expresses the inherent value of quality rehabilitation trials for broadening clinical understandings of multiple sclerosis (MS) and bettering patient outcomes.

During their session at Asembia’s AXS24, Sarah Butler and Lindsay Greenleaf of ADVI Health will examine the current status of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and future considerations in health care in the context of the upcoming presidential election.

Yael Mauer, MD, MPH, discusses the patient population who benefits most from interventions with glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) therapies and explores the underlying mechanisms at work.