Oral Orforglipron Added to Basal Insulin Cuts HbA1c in Type 2 Diabetes
A phase 3 trial (ACHIEVE‑5) showed that adding the oral GLP‑1 agonist orforglipron to titrated insulin glargine significantly lowered HbA1c in adults with type 2 diabetes, with reductions ranging from 0.78 % to 1.08 % versus placebo. Across three dose levels, participants also lost 2.7 %‑6.1 % of body weight, reversing the typical weight gain seen with basal insulin. Fasting glucose fell and insulin glargine doses were modestly reduced, indicating improved glycemic control without extra insulin. The safety profile was consistent with the GLP‑1 class, with mainly mild gastrointestinal events.
GLP-1 Drugs Tackle Both Skin Inflammation and Metabolism in Psoriasis
A recent narrative review in Frontiers in Immunology finds that GLP‑1 receptor agonists such as liraglutide and semaglutide improve psoriasis severity and systemic inflammation, independent of weight loss. Evidence in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) remains limited to a single small study,...
How Metabolic Effects Could Shape Future Diabetes Care: Anne Komé, PharmD
At the American Diabetes Association 2026 Scientific Sessions, researchers presented data showing that oral ketone supplements can deliver cardiac benefits comparable to intravenous ketones for patients with type 2 diabetes and heart failure. A separate study linked GLP‑1 receptor agonists to...
Immunotherapy Increases Melanoma Survival, Yet Toxicity Gaps Persist: Igor Puzanov, MD, MSCI, FACP
Immunotherapy has transformed melanoma care, halving annual U.S. deaths from 15,000 to about 7,700 and curing roughly 50% of stage 3/4 patients. Dr. Igor Puzanov warns that the next challenge is the epidermal‑mesenchymal transformation that makes tumors invisible to the immune...
Culturally Tailored Diabetes Care Can Improve Outcomes and Reduce Costs: Alyson K. Myers, MD
At the ADA 2026 Scientific Sessions, Dr. Alyson K. Myers highlighted the impact of culturally tailored, community‑integrated diabetes care. She argued that such approaches deliver better clinical outcomes for Black and Hispanic patients while lowering overall health‑care costs. Myers emphasized...
Contributor: How to Pair Data With Clinical Care to Manage Health Care Costs
Health care organizations now have abundant data—from predictive analytics to social determinants—but many still face rising costs and avoidable utilization. The article argues that the missing link is translating risk identification into timely, nurse‑led clinical interventions that engage patients when...
Alopecia in Gender-Diverse Patients: Beyond Cosmetics to Clinical Significance
A new narrative review in Dermatology and Therapy synthesizes data on androgenetic alopecia (AGA) in transgender and gender‑diverse (TGD) patients, highlighting markedly higher rates among trans men on testosterone and comparable rates in trans women to cis men. The analysis...
Three Years on Baricitinib Preserved Hair Regrowth in Severe Alopecia Areata
Baricitinib maintains hair regrowth over three years in severe alopecia areata. At week 152, 89.1% of patients on 4 mg and 83.6% on 2 mg who responded at week 52 kept SALT ≤ 20, with mean scores of 3.2 and 4.3 respectively. Deep regrowth...
Rewriting the Rules on Multiple Myeloma Resistance: Ajai Chari, MD
Ajai Chari, MD, director of UCSF's Multiple Myeloma Program, challenges the long‑standing belief that all multiple myeloma patients inevitably relapse. He outlines key resistance mechanisms—including disease burden, high‑risk genetics, extramedullary disease, and antigen loss from repeated BCMA targeting—and reviews early...
Black-White NSCLC Survival Gap Widens in Counties With Greater Racial Inequity
A new JAMA Network Open study links county‑level structural racism to stark racial gaps in non‑small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) outcomes. In the most segregated counties, Black patients’ two‑year survival was 10 percentage points lower than White patients, while the...
From EASL 2026: What Hepatology Still Needs to Solve
Experts at the 2026 EASL Congress highlighted three urgent gaps in hepatology: treating metabolic dysfunction‑associated steatohepatitis (MASH) cirrhosis, scaling population‑level screening for fibrosis, and funding under‑served liver diseases such as alcohol‑related injury. They noted that fibrosis‑reversal rates of 15‑20% are...
Genomic Testing Gaps, Chemotherapy Decisions in Young Women With HR+ Breast Cancer: Mitali Shah, MD
A new analysis of women under 50 with hormone‑receptor‑positive breast cancer shows that many receive chemotherapy despite low Oncotype DX recurrence scores. The study links chemo use to higher tumor stage, poor grade, and node involvement, highlighting a gap between genomic...
Oz White House Briefing Touts Drug Savings and Fraud Cleanup, but Data Tell a Nuanced Story
CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz used a June 2 White House briefing to announce a major expansion of the TrumpRx price‑transparency platform, adding 160 drugs to bring the catalog to roughly 750 items and reporting 12 million visitors and $500 million in consumer savings. He...
What Do We Do With These Prices? Ushering in the Next Phase of Price Transparency Innovation in Medicare Advantage
The article argues that price‑transparency efforts have missed the mark by focusing on traditional Medicare, while Medicare Advantage (MA) already provides clearer cost predictability through out‑of‑pocket caps and preset co‑payments. Studies show MA enrollees face 18‑24% lower monthly out‑of‑pocket costs...
New Data Support Pimicotinib as Durable for Rare Tenosynovial Giant Cell Tumor
Long‑term data presented at ASCO 2026 confirm that the oral CSF‑1R inhibitor pimicotinib delivers durable tumor shrinkage and functional gains in patients with tenosynovial giant cell tumor (TGCT). In the phase 3 MANEUVER trial, objective response rates hovered around 75‑80% across...
Acoramidis Shows Durable Benefit at 54 Months in ATTR-CM
Acoramidis (Attruby) demonstrated sustained reductions in all‑cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and first cardiovascular hospitalization through 54 months in an open‑label extension of the ATTRibute‑CM trial. The extension enrolled 389 patients, comparing continuous treatment with delayed initiation after placebo crossover. Continuous...
ASCO 2026 Spotlights Unmet Needs Across Cancer Care
At ASCO 2026, oncologists highlighted persistent gaps that hinder patient outcomes despite a surge of new therapies. Across prostate, brain and breast cancer, clinicians stressed that the sheer volume of treatment options exceeds current decision‑support tools and biomarker data. They...
Musculoskeletal Quality Collaborative Improves Value-Based Health Care Delivery Across Hospital System
The Musculoskeletal Quality Collaborative (MSKQC), a surgeon‑led network across 14 hospitals, rolled out value‑based protocols in May 2023 to curb high‑cost consumables such as antibiotic‑infused bone cement, povidone‑iodine irrigation, and negative pressure wound therapy. Within a year, AIBC use fell from...
Social Needs Screening and Supplemental Benefits in Medicare Advantage
In 2024 CMS authorized Medicare Advantage (MA) plans to screen for social determinants of health (SDOH) and to offer Special Supplemental Benefits for the Chronically Ill (SSBCI) that address those needs. A retrospective analysis of 2024 plan data shows that...
Making Early CKD Detection Count: Ralph Riello, PharmD, and Nihar Desai, MD
The American Journal of Managed Care’s podcast “Beyond the Silo” highlighted the persistent gap between early chronic kidney disease (CKD) detection and the initiation of evidence‑based treatment. Hosts Ralph Riello, PharmD, and Nihar Desai, MD, emphasized that once an elevated urine albumin‑to‑creatinine...
CAR-T Therapy Likely the Next Frontier for Treating Patients With MG: James F. Howard, MD
CAR‑T cell therapy is poised to become the next frontier in treating myasthenia gravis, according to UNC neurologist James F. Howard. The past decade introduced seven FDA‑approved MG therapies, beginning with the first in 2017, expanding options for patients. Howard...
New Therapies Offer Hope for Vitiligo, an Often Misunderstood and Undertreated Disease
A multidisciplinary roundtable in Phoenix highlighted persistent inequities in vitiligo care, where insurers frequently classify the autoimmune disease as a cosmetic condition, leading to lengthy prior‑authorization hurdles. Clinicians discussed the psychological toll, especially among patients of color, and noted that...
Infrastructure, Payment Gaps Persist for Bispecifics in the Community
Community oncology practices are confronting significant infrastructure and reimbursement gaps as bispecific antibody therapies move from academic centers into outpatient settings. Chief operating officer Lekan Ajayi highlights step‑up dosing as a major cost driver that current payer models do not...
Prescription Drug Prior Authorization: Costs to Pharmacies and Physicians
A systematic review of 14 U.S. studies quantifies the labor costs of prescription‑drug prior authorizations (PAs) in outpatient settings. Health‑system pharmacies spend 15‑24 minutes per PA, costing $15‑$63, while physician practices require 25‑64 minutes, costing $16‑$49. The analysis highlights substantial...
Combined Pharmacotherapy and Psychotherapy Impact on Opioid Use Disorder Treatment
Researchers analyzed claims data from 18,316 commercially insured adults with opioid use disorder between 2019 and 2022. They found that months when patients received both medication for OUD (MOUD) and evidence‑based psychotherapy saw a 33.5% reduction in emergency department visits,...
Closing CVD Care Gaps in Early-Onset CRC: Meng-Han Tsai, PhD
Meng‑Han Tsai, PhD, highlighted stark cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality gaps among early‑onset colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Men diagnosed before age 50 experience nearly five times the age‑adjusted CVD death rate of women, driven by higher pre‑existing chronic conditions and lower health‑care...
RASolute 302 Brings a “Transformative" Moment in Pancreatic Cancer: A 60% Improvement in Overall Survival
Revolution Medicines’ RASolute 302 phase‑3 trial showed that the RAS(ON) inhibitor daraxonrasib improved overall survival by 60% in patients with previously treated metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Median overall survival more than doubled to 13.2 months versus 6.6 months on standard chemotherapy,...
When to Retreat, When to Switch in CLL Treatment Decision-Making: Adam Kittai, MD
Dr. Adam Kittai, director of NYU Langone’s CLL program, discussed the evolving treatment sequencing for chronic lymphocytic leukemia in an AJMC interview. He highlighted the challenges of retreating with venetoclax after a drug‑free interval and the emerging role of triplet...
ARACOG Trial Links Enzalutamide to Greater Cognitive Decline Compared With Darolutamide: Alicia Morgans, MD, MPH
The phase‑2 ARACOG trial directly compared the cognitive impact of two androgen‑receptor pathway inhibitors in advanced prostate cancer. At 24 weeks, patients on darolutamide experienced a 15.8% decline on a neuropsychological test versus a 36.1% decline with enzalutamide. The advantage...
Brain Hygiene and Health Equity: Reimaging the Approach to Sleep in Mental Health Care
Medical leaders are urging clinicians to prioritize sleep evaluation when treating depression, anxiety, and cognitive decline. Dr. Martin Hopp explains that untreated sleep disorders, especially obstructive sleep apnea, leave metabolic waste in the brain, causing fog, memory lapses, and heightened...
Melanoma's Progress, Persistent Gaps, and the Toxicity Criteria That Needed to Change: Igor Puzanov, MD
Immunotherapy has cut U.S. melanoma deaths roughly in half, dropping from about 15,000 to 7,700 annually, according to Roswell Park’s Igor Puzanov. He warns that a subset of tumors undergo epithelial‑mesenchymal transition (EMT), shedding immune‑visible markers and escaping checkpoint inhibitors. To...
GammaTile Improves Metastatic Brain Tumor Outcomes Without Added Toxicity: Jeffrey Weinberg, MD
The phase 3 ROADS trial showed that intraoperative GammaTile cesium‑131 brachytherapy markedly improves local control, surgical‑bed recurrence‑free survival, and overall survival for patients with newly diagnosed metastatic brain tumors, while matching the safety profile of post‑operative stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT). In the...
A Framework for Palliative Care Integration in Cancer Care: Biren Saraiya, MD
Early integration of secondary palliative care in oncology has been shown to reduce symptoms, improve mood, and in some cancers extend survival. Dr. Biren Saraiya distinguishes primary palliative care—delivered by the treating oncology team—from secondary care provided by specialist palliative...
Depemokimab Reduces Exacerbations in Type 2 Asthma, CRSwNP Over 2 Years
Depemokimab, GSK's ultra‑long‑acting biologic, achieved a 51% overall reduction in asthma exacerbations and a 69% reduction in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) in the phase 3 SWIFT‑1/2 trials. The drug was administered subcutaneously at 100 mg every 26 weeks, with...
Resmetirom Cuts CV Risk in MASH: Meena Bansal, MD
Resmetirom, a thyroid hormone receptor‑β agonist, showed in secondary analyses of the phase 3 MAESTRO‑NASH and MAESTRO‑NAFLD‑1 trials that it reduces LDL‑C, apolipoprotein B and lipoprotein(a) in patients with metabolic dysfunction‑associated steatohepatitis (MASH) even when they are already receiving statins. The lipid...
Novel CKD Therapies Proved Cost Effective Across Health Systems
A systematic review of 36 economic evaluations across four continents found that novel nephroprotective drugs—especially SGLT2 inhibitors—generally improve quality‑adjusted life‑years and often reduce total costs for chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Cost‑effectiveness varied by country, with some models showing dominant...
Untreated MASH With T2D to Drive Costs 5-Fold: Zobair Younossi, MD
Metabolic dysfunction‑associated steatohepatitis (MASH) combined with type 2 diabetes is projected to cost the U.S. health system nearly five times more by 2040 if current practices persist. Although FDA‑approved therapies exist, primary‑care and endocrinology settings still stratify very few patients, leaving...
Long-Term Real-World Economic and Clinical Outcomes of TRIKAFTA® (Elexacaftor/Tezacaftor/Ivacaftor and Ivacaftor) in Cystic Fibrosis
Vertex Pharmaceuticals released a real‑world analysis of TRIKAFTA® (elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor and ivacaftor) showing sustained clinical benefits for cystic fibrosis patients over five years. The study documented a 45% drop in annual hospitalizations, an average 8.2‑point rise in FEV1, and a net...
Bring on the Breakthroughs: ASCO Takes Translation to More Patients
The 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting in Chicago spotlights the theme “The Science and Practice of Translation,” showcasing data that move laboratory breakthroughs into everyday cancer care. Highlighted trials include PROTEUS, a phase‑3 study adding apalutimide to...
Pevifoscorvir Shows Strong HBV Activity, Durable Antigen Suppression
Pevifoscorvir (ALG‑001075), a capsid assembly modulator, demonstrated nanomolar potency that far exceeds competing CAMs and earned FDA Fast Track status. Phase 1 data showed a 96‑week monotherapy course reduced HBsAg by over one log, with the decline persisting through a 24‑week...
MASH Care Demands More Than New Drugs: Meena Bansal, MD
Two FDA‑approved drugs—semaglutide (Wegovy) and resmetirom (Rezdiffra)—have reshaped the therapeutic landscape for metabolic dysfunction‑associated steatohepatitis (MASH) as of 2025. Both agents target distinct pathways, with semaglutide improving fibrosis and resmetirom offering a liver‑directed approach for moderate to severe fibrosis. Dr....
DD01, Pemvidutide Data Suggest Dual Agonists Target MASH Directly: Mazen Nourredin, MD
Phase‑2 trials of the dual GLP‑1/glucagon agonists DD01 and pemvidutide revealed significant reductions in liver‑fat content and stiffness in patients with metabolic dysfunction‑associated steatohepatitis (MASH). DD01 achieved a 30% MRI‑PDFF reduction in 76% of participants by week 12, even though average...
Phase 3 Data Highlight Hair Regrowth With Deuruxolitinib in AA
Phase 3 THRIVE‑AA2 data demonstrate that oral deuruxolitinib, a selective JAK1/2 inhibitor, significantly improves scalp hair regrowth in adults with severe alopecia areata. At 24 weeks, 33.0% of patients on 8 mg and 38.3% on 12 mg achieved a SALT20 response versus just...
Macrophages Gain Attention as Psoriasis Research Evolves
A new bibliometric analysis of 2,012 papers from 2015‑2024 shows macrophage‑centric research in psoriasis accelerating, peaking at 300 publications in 2022. China produced the most papers (503), but U.S. articles achieved the highest citation impact at 61.7 citations per paper....
Private Equity Oversight Gaps Threaten Patient Safety, ACP Warns
The American College of Physicians released a position paper warning that private‑equity (PE) ownership of hospitals is linked to measurable patient‑safety declines. Recent JAMA and Annals studies show a 25% rise in hospital‑acquired conditions and a 13% increase in emergency‑department...
Does Physician Education on New NCCN Guidelines Change Behavior? Data From Ontada Say, “Yes”
Ontada, a McKesson subsidiary, presented ISPOR 2026 data showing that EHR‑based, on‑demand education on new NCCN HER2‑low guidelines lifted guideline‑concordant therapy from 62% to 71% among participating oncologists. The initiative used peer‑consultations and podcasts embedded in the iKnowMed system of The...
Bispecifics in the Community: Infrastructure, Education, the Future
Bispecific antibodies are becoming a pivotal oncology therapy, delivering durable responses in relapsed or refractory hematologic cancers and moving into earlier treatment lines. Their step‑up dosing schedules and intensive toxicity monitoring demand new workflows, remote therapy monitoring, and robust coordination...
Shared Risk Factors May Drive CVD Mortality in Patients With Early-Onset CRC: Meng-Han Tsai, PhD
A recent research letter in the Journal of the American Heart Association examined 83,433 early‑onset colorectal cancer (CRC) patients and found that men and racial‑ethnic minorities living in urban areas face markedly higher cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. Age‑adjusted rates were...
Health Equity & Access Weekly Roundup: May 22, 2026
Women’s health is undergoing rapid change in 2026, with personalized transdermal hormone therapy gaining traction for menopause and potential Alzheimer risk reduction, while telehealth access to mifepristone remains contested. The HHS Secretary’s dismissal of USPSTF leaders has unsettled the preventive‑care...
Expanded Label for Efgartigimod Offers Fast-Acting Treatment for gMG: James F. Howard, MD
On May 11, 2026, the FDA broadened the indication for efgartigimod, approving it for all adult patients with generalized myasthenia gravis, including AChR‑positive, MuSK‑positive, LRP4‑positive, and triple‑seronegative subtypes. The decision follows the phase‑3 ADAPT SERON trial, which enrolled 119 patients...