Interviews

Oncology has been an easy area for employers to adopt biosimilars because of the rising costs in the space, said Margaret Rehayem, vice president, National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions. Now that multiple adalimumab (Humira) biosimilars are hitting the US market, employers should take a step back to review their current strategy around the drug.

David Spencer, MD, director of the Comprehensive Epilepsy Center and professor of neurology at Oregon Health and Science University, talks about the first-in-human trial of interneuron cell therapy for treatment of focal epilepsy and explains the next steps.

Fran Gregory, PharmD, vice president of emerging therapies at Cardinal Health, discusses what's to come as a result of a "second wave" of biosimilars hitting the market.

Technology and automation within patient assistance programs can enhance the patient journey and assist pharmaceutical manufacturers at a lower cost, explained Josh Marsh, vice president of Sonexus at Cardinal Health.

Andy Blauvelt, MD, MBA, president of Oregon Medical Research Center, discusses the use of systemic therapies vs biologics and why adherence is so important when treating patients with atopic dermatitis (AD).

Larry Eichenfield, MD, professor of dermatology and pediatrics and vice chair of the Department of Dermatology at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine and chief of pediatric and adolescent dermatology at Rady Children's Hospital San Diego, discusses the use of different treatments and biologics for atopic dermatitis (AD) in infants, which he presented at the Revolutionizing Atopic Dermatitis conference.

Melinda Gooderham, MSc, MD, FRCPC, dermatologist and clinical researcher at Peterborough Regional Health Centre, discusses emerging topical and biologic therapies expected to be available later this year.

Robert Sidbury, MD, MPH, professor of pediatrics at Seattle Children's Hospital, discusses treatment approaches for atopic dermatitis of the face in infancy, which he presented at the Revolutionizing Atopic Dermatitis conference.

A. Mark Fendrick, MD, co–editor in chief of The American Journal of Managed Care® and director of the V-BID Center at the University of Michigan, discusses how the Braidwood ruling can affect the efficacy of preventive care.

It is likely that social determinants of health (SDOH) may affect the differences in outcomes from multiple sclerosis (MS) that we see among Black/African American and Hispanic/Latinx populations, absent more data on their genetics and ancestry, noted Mitzi Joi Williams, MD, FAAN.

Challenges around data are mostly around data itself, particularly if it is not timely, says Lee A. Norman, MD, MHS, MBA, the senior medical director for Optum Care Kansas City.

On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we speak with Bruce W. Sherman, MD, of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, about a recent study on wage-level disparities affecting the utilization of mental health resources, for which he was lead investigator; the study article appears in the April issue of The American Journal of Managed Care®.

Rebates remain very attractive for many employers, but they should push back on the reliance on rebates that may be preventing biosimilars from being added to formularies, said Margaret Rehayem, vice president, National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions.

Milena Pavlova, MD, neurologist, and medical director of the sleep testing center at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner hospital, talks about the importance of treating underlying sleep disorders in patients with seizures, especially within a value-based care (VBC) model.

Jonathan Silverberg, MD, PhD, MPH, professor of dermatology and director of clinical research and patch testing at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, and chair of the Revolutionizing Atopic Dermatitis (RAD) conference, discusses some of the symposia and events at this year's conference that he is looking forward to the most.

David Spencer, MD, director of the Comprehensive Epilepsy Center and professor of neurology at Oregon Health and Science University, talks about how an emerging epilepsy treatment could transform the current level of care for patients with the condition.

Much more work needs to be done surrounding multiple sclerosis (MS) and treating pregnant patients safely, noted Mitzi Joi Williams, MD, FAAN, medical director and CEO, Joi Life Wellness Neurology Clinic.

Milena Pavlova, MD, neurologist and medical director of the sleep testing center at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital, discusses the profound effect obstructive sleep apnea has on epilepsy as well as cognition.

At Asembia 2023, there will be a call to action for participants to adjust their current business models and advocate for access to biosimilars with lower list costs, explained Julie Reed, executive director of the Biosimilars Forum.

Shruti Agnihotri, MD, associate professor at the University of Alabama Birmingham, discusses how value-based care can help patients who experience neurologic chronic disease states after COVID-19, in addition to patients with conditions like stroke and dementia.

Nicole Rosendale, MD, assistant professor of neurology at the University of California San Francisco, neurologist/neurohospitalist, talks about how data on the LGBTQ+ community in the neurology space is needed in order to provide effective value-based health care.

Jacque Sokolov, MD, president and chairman at SSB Solutions, previews his keynote presentation and discusses the unique, shifting health care atmosphere leading into the National Association of Managed Care Physicians (NAMCP) Spring Managed Care Forum 2023.

By better understanding the nature of atopic dermatitis and its varying comorbidities, providers might be able to better predict patient outcomes, said Raj Chovatiya, MD, PhD, assistant professor of dermatology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

Nicholas Bagley, JD, of Michigan Law, University of Michigan, explained what the Braidwood v Becerra court case was about and how the ruling affected preventive care across the country.

Jessica Robinson-Papp, MD, MS, professor of neurology at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, discusses how neurologic symptoms in individuals with HIV can present in various places in the body while also possibly pointing to a neurologic condition.

Nicole Rosendale, MD, assistant professor of neurology at the University of California San Francisco, neurologist/neurohospitalist, discusses how many unknowns prevail in data concerning neurologic care for LGBTQ+ individuals.

Using evidence and being open-minded are 2 strategies for providers shifting to new models of delivering care, says Lee A. Norman, MD, MHS, MBA, senior medical director for Optum Care Kansas City.

Gene therapy has the promise of being one and done, but it isn’t always that way for all patients, which leaves questions about where these therapies fit in the commercial landscape, said Charles C. Wykoff, MD, PhD, of Retina Consultants of Texas and the Blanton Eye Institute at Houston Methodist Hospital.