Study Finds Most US Adults Don’t Know About Upcoming Medicare Eligibility Redeterminations
A newly published report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation finds that most US adults with a family member on Medicaid are unaware of impending eligibility redeterminations. The redeterminations are set to hit after the COVID-19 public health emergency is ended by the federal government. Many current Medicaid recipients are at risk of losing coverage.
Picnichealth Announces Real-World Data Team-up with Bristol Myers Squibb
Picnichealth is starting a new partnership with Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS), according to a recent announcement by the companies. As part of the team-up, the two will pool their real-world data (RWD) resources into the Discover-HCM registry currently run by BMS. The goal is to generate real-world evidence (RWE) to help advance treatment for symptomatic obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (oHCM).
New Real-World Evidence Systematic Review Finds Efficacy of Biosimilars on Psoriasis Comparable to Biologic
A systematic review recently published in the Journal of Dermatological Treatment found that several biosimilars were as effective as their biosimilar equivalents in the treatment of psoriasis. The review used real-world evidence (RWE) from several observational studies. Several drugs were included in the analysis, including adalimumab, etanercept, and infliximab.
Edifecs Teams Up with Empowered Health to Streamline Prior Authorization
Prior authorization is rated as a top annoyance for providers and patients. Yesterday, November 16th, Edifecs, Inc. and Empowered-Home announced they will team up to provide a streamlined, automated approach to prior authorization through the former’s existing healthcare ecosystem consisting of payers and providers. The tool uses artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to make instant prior authorizations.
Real-World Evidence Studies Show Efficacy of COVID-19 Therapeutics
Two new real-world evidence studies exploring the efficacy of two treatments for COVID-19 have been published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ). The first study investigated real-world data (RWD) from fully vaccinated high-risk adult patients in England. Those taking sotrovimab had better COVID-19 outcomes than people taking molnupiravir, most notably a 46% reduction in severe COVID-19.
Payer Groups Team up with Cedar to Improve Patient Financial Experience
The Allegheny Health Network and Highmark Health have announced a new partnership with Ceder to help revamp and consolidate their patient payment information, combining payer and provider prices together. The teamup between the payer and provider is intended to improve the patient financial experience and reduce medical bill-related confusion.
Verana Health Announces New Multiple Sclerosis Real-World Data Module
Verana has announced development of a new Neurology Qdata module for multiple sclerosis (MS) research. Qdata MS adds real-world data (RWD) from the American Academy of Neurology’s Axon Registry to the Neurology Qdata platform, further bolstering the company’s real-world evidence (RWE) resources.
Spring Health Launches Compass Platform for Mental Health Electronic Health Records Management
Mental healthcare professionals waste significant amounts of time creating and sorting through electronic health records (EHR). To help providers focus on patient care, Spring Health has released its Compass platform. Using the software platform, providers and other users have access to an integrated documentation, billing, and scheduling system.
BC Platforms Releases Real-World Data Sharing Platform
BC Platforms (BCP) has announced the launch of its Trust Collaboration Environment (TCE) software. The software platform is built to facilitate drug discovery and development for a wide range of disease fields. Users will be able to access, manage, and share real-world data (RWD) from patient samples and electronic health records (EHR).
What’s the State of Market Access in Denmark After Five Years with the Danish Medicines Council?
Denmark established the Danish Medicines Council (DMC) back in 2017 to help make assessment of medicines faster, transparent, and more consistent. In a recent Amerisource Bergen article, Flemming Axelsen, MSC, looks back at the past five years of the DMC, explaining its successes, failures, and the lessons that can be gleaned from both.
NICE Makes New Round of COVID-19 Drug Approval Recommendations
The UK’s NICE has announced its recommendations of approval for three COVID-19 drugs and the rejection of five others based on value and efficacy data. Paxlovid, RoActemra, and Olumiant from Pfizer, Roche, and Eli Lilly, respectively, made the cut. Uncertain efficacy data and pricing issues sank the applications of drugs from Merck, Gillead, GSK, Regeneron, and AstraZeneca
Leadiant Biosciences Fined in Spain for Price Gouging Rare Disease Drug
Spain’s Comisión Nacional de Los Mercados y la Competencia (CNMC) has fined Leadiant Biosciences €10.3 million for jumping the price of a therapeutic for the rare disease cerebrotendinous xanthamatosis (CTX). The company is accused by regulators of increasing the cost of chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA), used to treat CTX, far faster than increases in similar drugs.
PhRMA, J&J, and TrialCard File Amicus Briefs in Support of Pfizer’s US Supreme Court Case
As Pfizer waits on a decision as to whether the US Supreme will take on the company’s case against US anti-kickback laws regarding proposed copay assistance programs, several organizations have entered the fray. PhRMA, Johnson & Johnson, and TrialCard have each filed amicus briefs to the highest court of the land to take on the case, which had been previously blocked by circuit court loss.
UroGen Releases Real-World Data Showing Safety of JELMYTO in Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma Patients
UroGen has announced the release of new real-world data (RWD) supporting the safety of JELMYTO administration via percutaneous nephrostomy tube for patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). The multi-center study was based on retrospective data from 32 patients and was recently published in The British Journal of Urology International.
Eli Lilly to Pull Advertising on Twitter After Fake Insulin Tweet Fallout
Only days after a tweet from a verified account masquerading as Eli Lilly tanked the pharma giant’s stock by 11%, the company is signaling it will substantially cut its ad spending on the platform. The tweet in question, coming from an account that was verified through Elon Musk’s controversial pay-for-verification program, stated that “insulin is free now”. The tweet took hours for Twitter staff to pull, in part due to massive staff cuts initiated by Musk.
Medical Sciences Liaison Society – Current & Future Medical Affairs Competencies Survey
The Medical Sciences Liaison Society (MSLS) is seeking responses for its Current & Future Medical Affairs Competencies Survey. The survey will cover core competencies currently held by the rapidly growing medical affairs community as well as those that will be needed going forward. Participants will receive a free copy of the report as it is released later this year.
Call For Reviewers: ISPOR 2023 – Opens November 18th
ISPOR will shortly open up applications for peer-reviewers for its upcoming ISPOR 2023 conference. Nominees will review research abstract submissions to ensure that research presented at the conference will meet ISPOR’s high standards. Reviewers are required to be non-student members of ISPOR and must have time to review abstracts from January 20th to February 3rd, 2023. Submissions open November 18th and close December 6th.
Moving to a New PBM Model to Change, and Save, the Industry
With pharmacy benefit manager attracting growing public and governmental scrutiny, the industry has to move past current models that hurt patients while lining their pockets. In a new two part article on Forbes, Seth Joseph discusses the issues facing the industry and ways it can move forward to better, more equitable models. Part one explains PBMs and recent problematic shifts in the industry.
Report Puts Forward Four Steps to Accelerate Drug Access in Canada
A recent report from the Conference Board of Canada posits four steps to speed up access to cancer therapeutics in Canada. First, they recommend changing the current health technology assessment (HTA) practices to provide additional pathways that will allow patients to access drugs while payers, pharma, and regulatory bodies work out reimbursement strategies.
SIME Acute Respiratory Disease Prediction Device Receives CE-IVD Accreditation
SIME Diagnostics has announced that its artificial intelligence-based (AI) clinical platform to predict severe respiratory disease has received CE-IVD accreditation. The device will use regularly collected samples to identify neonates that are at high risk for Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS) in an upcoming clinical trial.
Researchers Investigate Repurposed Drugs with Existing Real-World Data
A review that was published recently explored the use of real-world data (RWD) in repurposing existing drugs for new indications. Drug repurposing allows for more rapid market access, and is increasingly being prioritized by regulatory bodies in Australia and elsewhere. RWD can help identify and develop repurposed drugs.
Study Highlights Barriers to Care for Disabled People in US Healthcare System
A newly published study in Health Affairs further characterizes significant physical and structural barriers to care. The survey found that many physicians felt uncomfortable taking on disabled patients, often denying care. Furthermore, many care delivery locations are not ADA compliant and inaccessible to some disabled people.
Study Finds Racial Health Disparities Negatively Impacted by Medicaid and Medicare DSH Payment Model
A recently published article in JAMA Network Open found that structural problems in Medicaid and Medicare DSH payment programs hurt the marginalized, low-income populations they are meant to benefit. Data was gathered from DSH programs in largely majority Black counties in all US states except Massachusetts. The results showed that payment models based on healthcare utilization underpay majority Black counties due to barriers of access to care.
Analysis Finds HPV Vaccinations for At-Risk Populations Covered By Majority of Medicaid Plans
A paper published in JAMA Dermatology late last month found that HPV vaccinations are covered for most people on Medicaid plans, including people with dermatological conditions that put them at-risk for negative health outcomes from HPV infections. The researchers looked at late-2021 data covering Medicaid plans in every US state.
New Real-World Data Study from BioCryst Shows Orladeyo Reduces HAE Attacks
Biocryst Pharmaceuticals presented results from a new real-world data (RWD) study at the 2022 Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI) showing that once-daily Orladeyo (berotralstat) reduces heart attack rates in patients with hereditary angioedema (HAE). This effect was observed regardless of previous prophylactic use and was sustained long-term.
