Clinical

The diabetes drug metformin is being used in some cancer treatment trials, but study results show the use of metformin does not improve survival of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

The incidence rate for heart failure dropped steeply over a decade in a population-based study, and while hospitalization rates remained steady over time, causes shifted from cardiovascular to noncardiovascular.

New legislation introduced by a bipartisan group of US senators would make it more difficult for new and generic opioid drugs to obtain the approval of the FDA.

A qualitative study to understand clinical providers' attitudes and beliefs about polypharmacy and their perceived barriers to and facilitators of appropriate medication discontinuation.

The total number of breast cancer cases in the United States is forecast to be 50% greater in 2030 than it was in 2011 driven mostly by a marked increase in cases of estrogen receptor-positive tumors.

While statins can prevent disease in older adults, they can also cause potentially serious side effects that could outweigh the benefits, according to a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania's Abramson Cancer Center found combining 2 immunotherapies to be safe and elicit a clinical response in patients with metastatic melanoma.

While most patients do not benefit from early follow-up after they are discharged from the hospital, researchers from Duke University Medical Center and Community Care of North Carolina found follow-up within 7 days was associated with substantially lower readmission rates among patients with high clinical complexity and high risk of readmission.

One of the hot new cancer immunotherapy drugs, Merck & Co's Keytruda, strongly benefited patients with melanoma, lung cancer and mesothelioma, according to 3 studies presented at the American Association for Cancer Research conference.

The leading peer-reviewed journal in managed care and the world leader in diabetes research and clinical care will present the conference at the Renaissance Boston Waterfront April 16-17, 2015. Faculty presentations and panel discussions will cover clinical, behavioral and technological aspects of care for persons with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Factors most important for successful implementation of collaborative care for depression differ for patient activation versus achieving remission; both are critical to program success.

This study illustrates that where clinical trials are lacking, network meta-analysis can provide valuable insights into the potential clinical and economic benefits of value-based insurance design.

Specialty drugs expected to account for 40% of total prescription spending by 2016, according to Catamaran Corporation.

In a final rule (PDF) issued Thursday afternoon, HHS formally set an Oct. 1, 2015, compliance date for conversion to ICD-10 diagnostic and procedure codes, incorporating the absolute minimum delay imposed by Congress when it ordered HHS to roll back the conversion date previously set for Oct. 1, 2014.