As I write this column, I’m working at home, social distancing from others not in my immediate family, yet keeping close to my coworkers and community through a blend of online video and other communications. As COVID-19 continues to spread across the United States, I wonder when we will return to “normal” — or even
Today we’re seeing significant scientific breakthroughs that are revolutionizing the treatment of challenging conditions like cancers and both rare and chronic diseases. Advances that activate the immune system or retool genes with a single treatment to change the course of disease all signal that personalized medicine is here and continuing to evolve. These amazing and
Suppose two customers who are both diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis approach your pharmacy counter. The first line of treatment for rheumatoid arthritis works effectively for the first customer, but it doesn’t work well in managing the second customer’s symptoms. The second customer’s doctor recommends another treatment that is more effective for her, yet it is
Imagine you are a 40-year-old woman who is one of the 1.5 million people in the U.S. with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a chronic condition for which you take regular medication to control flares of the disease, stiffness and pain. But before you get to the pharmacy counter, early in the year you receive a painful
For the past two years, organizations in the private and public sectors have been working to develop tools to support value-based health care and evidence-based medical decision making. In 2017, these efforts will take on an even greater urgency, driven by the ongoing, accelerating progress of biopharmaceutical research and development. As more — and more
WASHINGTON — Purdue Pharma L.P. has become a member of health policy research group The National Pharmaceutical Council (NPC). NPC said Dr. Tracy Mayne, head of medical affairs strategic research at Purdue Pharma, will serve as the pharmaceutical company’s representative on the NPC board of directors. “NPC’s research and activities are helping to drive the discussion
WASHINGTON — Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals has become a member of the National Pharmaceutical Council (NPC). The health policy research organization said Thursday that Steven Romano, senior vice president and chief scientific officer at Mallinckrodt, will serve as the company’s representative on the NPC board of directors. “We are pleased that Mallinckrodt has joined us in support
Recently, U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Sylvia Burwell announced a lofty goal of tying 50% of all traditional Medicare payments to alternative payment models, such as accountable care organizations (ACOs) or bundled payment arrangements, by the year 2018. In announcing these ambitious goals, Burwell stated, “Whether you are a patient, a provider, a
WASHINGTON — Pharmacists can perform a pivotal role in ensuring the optimal use of pharmaceuticals and improving patient outcomes in accountable care organizations (ACOs), concludes a case study published in the December issue of the Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy. The report, “Best Practices: Improving Patient Outcomes and Costs in an ACO Through
