Health Care Delivery

A prospective analysis suggested that those with pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis (MS) who experienced earlier disease-modifying treatment initiation may be less vulnerable to disease progression.

The Center on Health Equity and Access delivers current news, highlights research advancements, and continuous initiatives focused on addressing health care disparities and improving overall accessibility to exceptional care.

Melinda C. Aldrich, PhD, MPH, associate professor in the departments of medicine, thoracic surgery, and biomedical informatics at Vanderbilt University, discussed recently updated lung screening guidelines from the American Cancer Society and the importance of equity across populations as new guidelines are developed.

Delandistrogene moxeparvovec-rokl (Elevidys; Sarepta Therapeutics) is currently approved to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy in 4- and 5-year-old patients who have a confirmed DMD gene mutation.

"It’s time for our industry to recognize the consequences of the lack of investment in maternal health and come together to bring forward innovations," Charlotte Owens, MD, stated.

The FDA announced it is allowing Florida to import medications in bulk from Canada at far lower prices than those offered in the United States; health insurance companies are revamping their technology to encourage more people to get their medications through the mail; nearly 17,000 patients with COVID-19 may have died after taking hydroxychloroquine during the first pandemic wave.

Michael Gieske, MD, director of lung cancer screening at St. Elizabeth Health Care, discusses disparities in lung cancer incidence and mortality that the Rural Appalachian Lung Cancer Screening Initiative aims to address.

A qualitative interview study gauged patients’ experiences with belantamab mafodotin, which is used to treat relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) following failure on at least 4 prior therapies.

Amy Laughlin, MD, MSHP, of Orlando Health commented on at-home cancer care costs and shared her predictions on how at-home cancer care will evolve.

A population-based study drew a possible connection between gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms and the multiple sclerosis (MS) prodrome.

Lawmakers contemplate the return of mental health institutions in response to the drug crisis; new measures to rein in insulin prices take effect; FDA intensifies efforts to curb the teen vaping epidemic.

A retrospective study found that instances of recurrent pulmonary hypertension due to vascular reocclusion or restenosis were extremely uncommon after balloon pulmonary angioplasty.

This qualitative study conducted interviews with caregivers of patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) to explore their unique experiences and challenges in navigating health systems to access disease-modifying therapies.

This year’s top content from the annual San Antonino Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) is concentrated in 3 areas: health equity, benign breast disease, and fertility preservation following diagnosis.

Following implementation of low-dose rituximab as standard of care for muscle-specific kinase–positive myasthenia gravis (MuSK-MG), a hospital evaluated the treatment’s efficacy over a 2-year period.

In a new study, patients with psoriasis had a 39.46% prevalence of being overweight and 37.41% prevalence of obesity—83.56% patients also dismissed the importance of having healthy balanced eating habits.

In the wake of the 2023 American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition, Raymond Thertulien, MD, PhD, of Novant Health, and Joseph Mikhael, MD, MEd, FRCPC, FACP, chief medical officer of the International Myeloma Foundation, discussed health equity research highlights from the meeting and drivers of racial disparities in multiple myeloma outcomes.

This new late-breaking data presented at ACR 2023 was the first clinical evidence indicating efficacy of afimetoran for those with cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE).

A multivariable analysis suggested the safety and efficacy of onasemnogene abeparvovec (OA) in the treatment of older and heavier children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) type 1.

The top articles of 2023 addressed key issues such as representation gaps in aRCC research, concerns about the 340B program's impact on asthma disparities, slow adoption of equity innovations, potential biases in type 2 diabetes risk models, and addressing disparities in psoriasis treatment based on race and culture.

This year’s top 5 most-read articles on pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) explored expert opinions on treatment approaches, data on newly emerging therapies, the impacts of alcohol, and more.

In breast cancer coverage this year, topline results from the phase 3 NATALEE trial made waves in March, with our other most-read content in the space covering an expanded indication for abemaciclib, revised screening recommendations, a new potential treatment to reduce radiation exposure, and the benefits of diet and exercise on patient outcomes.

This new program was designed to be a scalable model for the formulation of similar initiatives in communities known to have limited access to specialized care for rheumatic conditions.

Employers, recognized as pivotal contributors to health equity, are urged to prioritize equitable benefits, address the complexity of health plans, and engage in education, data-driven interventions, and systematic measurements to comprehensively improve outcomes for diverse employee populations.

Misdiagnoses of multiple sclerosis (MS) represent one of the prominent challenges in MS for patients, clinicians, and researchers. A variety of factors influence misdiagnosis, including testing deficiencies, copycat diseases, and more.

In September, The American Journal of Managed Care® joined 4 individuals whose involvement with UPMC Health Plan, a Strategic Alliance Partner of AJMC®, has proved to be instrumental in furthering health equity and providing high-quality care in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, and Maryland.

A combination of KN026, a novel bispecific antibody, and docetaxel elicited responses with an acceptable toxicity profile when administered as neoadjuvant treatment in patients with HER2-positive (HER2+) early or locally advanced breast cancer.

At this year’s Community Oncology Alliance Payer Exchange Summit on Oncology Payment Reform, leaders from across all facets of the cancer care space engaged in thought-provoking panel discussions and debates. They have a common aim: to optimize cancer care delivery and ensure patients have a positive experience throughout their cancer care journey.

“Unfortunately, limited access to these therapies worldwide appears to be a major challenge,” the researchers wrote.

An observational registry study revealed that inflammatory disease activity is not the only factor influencing the achievement of treatment targets for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).