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.ONCOLOGY
CMS pushes back launch of Radiation Oncology Model
RevCycleIntelligence
CMS recently announced via email that it intends to delay the start of the Radiation Oncology Model after receiving feedback from stakeholders.
“CMS has received feedback from a number of stakeholders about the challenges of preparing to implement the Radiation Oncology Model by Jan. 1, 2021,” the agency stated in an email sent to providers on Oct. 21.
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Cancer patients paid $5.6B out-of-pocket cancer costs in 2018
HealthPayerIntelligence
Cancer patients are paying higher and higher out-of-pocket costs for treatment and, according to the American Cancer Society’s recent report, payer-related costs are the most common contributor to this financial burden.
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Toward a new staging system for prostate cancer, and why it matters
Health Lab via University of Michigan
Doctors and biostatisticians at the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center have led the development and validation of a staging system to better predict outcomes and inform treatment decisions for men diagnosed with non-metastatic prostate cancer.
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.GENOMICS
Transcription factors may inadvertently lock in DNA mistakes
Phys.org
Transcription factor proteins are the light switches of the human genome. By binding to DNA, they help turn genes 'on' or 'off' and start the important process of copying DNA into an RNA template that acts as a blueprint for a new protein.
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DNA: At our cores, we're all strengthened by 'dumbbells'
Rice University via ScienceDaily
Rice University scientists on a long quest to study the structure and function of chromosomes have found that amid the apparent chaotic state of DNA during interphase, when cells are between divisions, there are pockets of order in the configuration of certain gene-containing regions.
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.EMERGING MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES
Technology shines the light on ovarian cancer treatments
Purdue University via ScienceDaily
Now, a Purdue University scientist and entrepreneur is working to use simple LED light to help determine if certain chemotherapy options will work for specific patients. The work is published in Scientific Reports.
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How much is COVID-19 affecting procedure volumes for medtech?
Mass Device
UBS Financial Services released a report detailing how it expects medtech procedures to potentially keep dipping during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The report highlighted a quicker-than-expected recovery in the second quarter after U.S. hospitals began canceling, delaying and deferring elective procedures in late March as the pandemic took hold.
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AI and machine learning: A gift, and a curse, for cybersecurity
Healthcare IT News
The Universal Health Services attack this past month has brought renewed attention to the threat of ransomware faced by health systems — and what hospitals can do to protect themselves against a similar incident.
Security experts say that the attack, beyond being one of the most significant ransomware incidents in healthcare history, may also be emblematic of the ways machine learning and artificial intelligence are being leveraged by bad actors.
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.BIOTECH/DIAGNOSTICS/PERSONALIZED MEDICINE
Diagnostic for detecting Alzheimer's earlier developed
Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News
Washington State University scientists and collaborators say they have developed a technique to detect biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease that is 10 times more sensitive than current blood testing technology.
While still in the initial stages of development, the research could lead to earlier detection of the neurodegenerative brain disease that affects 5.8 million people in the U.S., according to the team.
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A heart-breast-cancer-on-a-chip monitoring system
Medical Xpress
Breast cancer is the most commonly occurring cancer for women around the world, and much effort has been spent in the development of therapies to treat this disease. Among these treatments, chemotherapy has been shown to be among the most effective methods; however, the drugs used in these therapies can have adverse side effects, the most serious of which is toxicity to the heart.
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.REGENERATIVE MEDICINE
Dialing down a rampaging immune system with newborn stem cells
Digital Journal
One of the most puzzling observations made in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic was that the organs of severe COVID-19 patients — such as the lungs, kidneys, heart and brain — were being damaged just when they started showing signs of recover
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Researchers find a new therapeutic approach to combat leukemia
News-Medical.Net
Leukemia frequently originates from the so-called leukemic stem cell, which resides in a tumor promoting and protecting niche within the bone marrow. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry in Martinsried, Germany, have found a new way to make these cells vulnerable by specifically dislodging these cells from their niches.
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.MANAGED HEALTHCARE NEWS
How health insurers can adapt to the new normal
Managed Healthcare Executive
Whether you’re embarking on your first telemedicine visit or you’re trying to find the closest rapid testing site, COVID-19 has undoubtedly transformed how consumers interact with health insurance. The “new normal” poses novel challenges and big opportunities for health insurance providers.
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Prior authorization, utilization management can have unintended consequences, PBMI panel says
Managed Healthcare Executive
The tools of prescription drug utilization management — step therapy and prior authorization — can help guarantee that the right patients get the right treatments, while controlling costs. But these methods are being exploited beyond their original intent, and some patients suffer needlessly, according to panelists taking part in the 4th Annual Pharmacy Benefit Management Institute Specialty Pharmacy Rx Forum.
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.FDA: NEW TREATMENTS AND TECHNOLOGY
FDA approves 1st treatment for COVID-19
U.S. Food & Drug Administration
On Oct. 22, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the antiviral drug Veklury for use in adult and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older and weighing at least about 88 pounds for the treatment of COVID-19 requiring hospitalization.
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.ACCOUNTABLE CARE ORGANIZATIONS
Alternative health plan designs catching on among employers
BenefitsPRO
Look for employers to adopt alternatives to the traditional health plan offering over the next three years, a study by Willis Towers Watson suggests. The research firm surveyed 397 employers in August and September, and found almost three-quarters of employers plan to adopt a new health care delivery model over that time span.
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.NAMCP UPDATES
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| LivaNova PLC, a market-leading medical technology and innovation company, today announced the publication of a new study in the International Journal of Bipolar Disorders that showed adding Vagus Nerve Stimulation Therapy (VNS Therapy®) to treatment as usual (TAU) significantly improves outcomes in patients with treatment-resistant bipolar depression (TRBD). The study examined patients from a five-year prospective registry and found 63% of TRBD patients treated with adjunctive VNS Therapy in addition to TAU had a significant reduction in depressive symptoms, as measured by a 50% or greater reduction in the Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), compared with 39% of patients in the TAU alone group. Click here to view the entire press release. Click here to view the entire press release.
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| Additionally, LivaNova PLC announced a publication in Contemporary Clinical Trials, which details the design for “A Prospective, Multi-center, Randomized Controlled Blinded Trial Demonstrating the Safety and Effectiveness of VNS Therapy® System as Adjunctive Therapy Versus a No Stimulation Control in Subjects With Treatment-Resistant Depression” or the RECOVER clinical study. RECOVER is currently under way as part of a Coverage with Evidence Development framework of the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) National Coverage Determination process. Click here to view the entire press release.
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| In late 2018, the National Association of Managed Care Physicians (NAMCP) decided to create the Value Based Care Council (VBCC). The VBCC mission supports empowering medical directors with information and resources to assist them in making value based decisions that support achieving the Triple AIM of improved outcomes and the patient experience while reducing overall costs. The goal is to improve the integration of cost, quality, and access in the clinical decision making process so as to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of extracting value from the associated spend in order to optimize outcomes.
Pursuant to the above, and in response to an unmet need in the marketplace, the VBCC developed a short form in order to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency with which value propositions can be shared between industry and the medical leadership of various payers throughout the country. This same short form provides a concise and consistent manner with which value propositions can be shared and provides the ability to align expectations prior to actually conducting conversations or having a meeting regarding a product or service.
The Product Value Proposition Customer Engagement Short Form can be found on the NAMCP website (www.namcp.org) in the Value Based Care Council subsection of the Councils tab, under tools and resources. Please contact Will Williams at wwilliams@namcp.org with questions or for additional information.
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| Jazz Pharmaceuticals is excited to announce the approval of ZEPZELCA™ (lurbinectedin) for the treatment of adult patients with metastatic small cell lung cancer (SCLC) with disease progression on or after platinum-based chemotherapy. ZEPZELCA is a second-line therapy that has been studied in both platinum-sensitive and -resistant SCLC patients. Please click here for more information.
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| Takeda Pharmaceuticals is part of, "The Fight Is In Us", an initiative to maximize the individual and societal benefit of COVID-19 plasma. The campaign will focus on recruiting COVID-19 survivors to donate their plasma at licensed blood and plasma donor centers.- If you’ve recovered from #COVID19, your immune system has antibodies that could be used as a treatment. See if you can help others by donating plasma www.TheFightIsInUs.org. #TheFightIsInUS
- The antibodies that helped you or someone you know fight off COVID-19 may be able to help others. Visit www.TheFightIsInUs.org to see if you qualify to donate plasma. #TheFightIsInUs
You are a survivor, now you could be a hero. Plasma from recovered #COVID19 patients could play a key role in creating a potential therapy for coronavirus. Learn how you can donate at www.TheFightIsInUs.org #TheFightIsInUs
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| Biodesix, Inc., a leading diagnostic company in lung disease, recently announced a partnership with Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE: BIO and BIOb) to bring a COVID-19 Droplet Digital PCR (ddPCR) test to the FDA for an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) approval to support the escalating need for testing in the U.S. Two studies published this month, ahead of peer review, reported that ddPCR testing showed superior sensitivity and precision for clinical detection of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) compared to existing test methods that are performed using qPCR. Biodesix currently has a focus on lung disease and offers other diagnostic testing for lung cancer utilizing the ddPCR platform.Click here for more information.
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| "Modeling Cost-Effectiveness of On-Demand Treatment for Hereditary Angioedema Attack" was recently published in the Journal of Managed Care Pharmacy's February 2020 issue. Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare disease that causes painful and potentially fatal episodes of swelling (attacks). HAE attacks can be unpredictable and the need to treat sudden attacks promptly and effectively is critical to minimize risk of hospitalization, morbidity, and mortality. A cost-effectiveness model was evaluated that considers evaluation of on-demand medications, healthcare utilization and patient well-being. For access to the publication, please click here.
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| Biodesix, Inc. announced initiation of the next phase of their biomarker development program with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany and Pfizer Inc. The companies have completed initial discovery and development of a new proteomic test that identifies likely responders to the anti-PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitor (BAVENCIO®) (avelumab). Development efforts will now focus on transferring the test into Biodesix's CLIA lab in Boulder, CO for clinical phase test validation. The new test was developed through retrospective analysis of the circulating proteome of cancer patients treated with the investigational drug candidate, utilizing the proprietary Biodesix Diagnostic Cortex™ artificial intelligence (AI) platform. Click here to read the full press release.
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| The NAMCP Medical Directors Institute recently held the first meeting of its Executive Leadership Council (ELC) at the recent Fall Managed Care Forum. The NAMCP Medical Directors Institute decided in late 2018 to create the Value Based Care Council (VBCC) with a mission to empower medical directors with information and resources to assist them in making value based decisions that support achieving the Triple AIM of improved outcomes and the patient experience while reducing overall costs. Click here to view an overview of the genesis, formation, and work of NAMCP's Value Based Care Council. Please click here to view the press release.
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| LivaNova PLC (NASDAQ:LIVN), a market-leading medical technology and innovation company, today announced the first patient enrolled in "A Prospective, Multi-center, Randomized Controlled Blinded Trial Demonstrating the Safety and Effectiveness of VNS Therapy® System as Adjunctive Therapy Versus a No Stimulation Control in Subjects With Treatment-Resistant Depression" (RECOVER). The study will evaluate Vagus Nerve Stimulation Therapy (VNS Therapy) for Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD) in accordance with the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) National Coverage Determination as part of its Coverage with Evidence Development Program. The first patient was enrolled by Dr. Azfar Malik in St. Louis. Click here to read the full press release.
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| Biodesix, Inc. this week highlighted findings from multiple studies demonstrating the significance and clinical utility of its VeriStrat® blood-based proteomic test as a predictive biomarker for patient survival outcomes and as a diagnostic tool to improve the clinical management of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This information is vital to implementing optimal treatment strategies for patients and supports disease state monitoring. To date, VeriStrat testing has helped more than 50,000 patients in determining the best treatment for their lung cancer. Click here to see the full press release. | |
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