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February 2012 - FRMC

02/22/2012
Eileen Koutnik-Fotopoulos
Although vemurafenib improves outcomes in patients with advanced melanoma that harbors a BRAF gene mutation, the drug also accelerates the development of squamous-cell carcinomas and keratoacanthomas in some patients. Results that show a skin...
Although vemurafenib improves outcomes in patients with advanced melanoma that harbors a BRAF gene mutation, the drug also accelerates the development of squamous-cell carcinomas and keratoacanthomas in some patients. Results that show a skin...
Although vemurafenib improves...
02/22/2012
First Report Managed Care
News Connection
02/22/2012
Eileen Koutnik-Fotopoulos
A vaccine for genital herpes was effective in protecting some women from genital disease and infection from herpes simplex type 1 but not from type 2.
A vaccine for genital herpes was effective in protecting some women from genital disease and infection from herpes simplex type 1 but not from type 2.
A vaccine for genital herpes was...
02/22/2012
First Report Managed Care
02/22/2012
Kevin L. Carter
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most prevalent sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the United States. HPV has a prevalence of 29.5% in sexually experienced girls 14 to 19 years of age. Sequelae of HPV infection may include genital...
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most prevalent sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the United States. HPV has a prevalence of 29.5% in sexually experienced girls 14 to 19 years of age. Sequelae of HPV infection may include genital...
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is...
02/22/2012
First Report Managed Care
02/22/2012
Tim Casey
New Orleans—According to an analysis of clinical trials, bazedoxifene is effective as a second-line therapy for postmenopausal women who have osteoporosis, although the drug is not cost-effective compared with raloxifene. Bazedoxifene and...
New Orleans—According to an analysis of clinical trials, bazedoxifene is effective as a second-line therapy for postmenopausal women who have osteoporosis, although the drug is not cost-effective compared with raloxifene. Bazedoxifene and...
New Orleans—According to an...
02/22/2012
First Report Managed Care
02/22/2012
Eileen Koutnik-Fotopoulos
A study comparing the cost of fulvestrant found that 250 mg appears to be a cost-effective option in treating postmenopausal women with breast cancer.
A study comparing the cost of fulvestrant found that 250 mg appears to be a cost-effective option in treating postmenopausal women with breast cancer.
A study comparing the cost of...
02/22/2012
First Report Managed Care
02/22/2012
Tim Casey
New Orleans—A retrospective cohort study found that patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) who took dabigatran did not have a significant reduction in length of stay in a hospital compared with those who took warfarin. However, the authors...
New Orleans—A retrospective cohort study found that patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) who took dabigatran did not have a significant reduction in length of stay in a hospital compared with those who took warfarin. However, the authors...
New Orleans—A retrospective...
02/22/2012
First Report Managed Care
02/22/2012
Eileen Koutnik-Fotopoulos
To determine survival benefits for patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer, researchers looked at treating HRPC with sipuleucel-T and docetaxel.
To determine survival benefits for patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer, researchers looked at treating HRPC with sipuleucel-T and docetaxel.
To determine survival benefits...
02/22/2012
First Report Managed Care
Conference Insider
02/22/2012
Mary Beth Nierengarten
Chicago—The risk of serious infection was not significantly increased in patients with autoimmune diseases initiating treatment with tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antagonists compared with those treated with nonbiologic disease regimens, even...
Chicago—The risk of serious infection was not significantly increased in patients with autoimmune diseases initiating treatment with tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antagonists compared with those treated with nonbiologic disease regimens, even...
Chicago—The risk of serious...
02/22/2012
First Report Managed Care
Conference Insider
02/22/2012
Mary Beth Nierengarten
Chicago—Patients treated with anti–tumor necrosis factor (TNF) therapy for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are not at increased risk of solid cancers compared with patients receiving nonbiologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs),...
Chicago—Patients treated with anti–tumor necrosis factor (TNF) therapy for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are not at increased risk of solid cancers compared with patients receiving nonbiologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs),...
Chicago—Patients treated with...
02/22/2012
First Report Managed Care
02/22/2012
Mary Beth Nierengarten
Chicago—Data from a large epidemiologic study presented at the ACR meeting suggest a trend toward reduced cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) during the first 6 months of initiating treatment with...
Chicago—Data from a large epidemiologic study presented at the ACR meeting suggest a trend toward reduced cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) during the first 6 months of initiating treatment with...
Chicago—Data from a large...
02/22/2012
First Report Managed Care
02/22/2012
Mary Beth Nierengarten
Chicago—The efficacy and safety of subcutaneous (SC) abatacept to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA) was maintained over 24 months, according to investigators of a recent open-label long-term extension study that looked at 24-month follow-up...
Chicago—The efficacy and safety of subcutaneous (SC) abatacept to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA) was maintained over 24 months, according to investigators of a recent open-label long-term extension study that looked at 24-month follow-up...
Chicago—The efficacy and safety...
02/22/2012
First Report Managed Care
02/22/2012
Mary Beth Nierengarten
Chicago—In patients with anemia of inflammation due to chronic rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), or psoriatic arthritis (PSA), treatment with golimumab was associated with greater improvements in hemoglobin at 6 months...
Chicago—In patients with anemia of inflammation due to chronic rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), or psoriatic arthritis (PSA), treatment with golimumab was associated with greater improvements in hemoglobin at 6 months...
Chicago—In patients with anemia...
02/22/2012
First Report Managed Care
Conference Insider
02/22/2012
Mary Beth Nierengarten
Chicago—New data highlight the increasing number of people in the United States newly diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis (OA), particularly younger people, and the additional burden it is estimated this will place on the US healthcare system...
Chicago—New data highlight the increasing number of people in the United States newly diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis (OA), particularly younger people, and the additional burden it is estimated this will place on the US healthcare system...
Chicago—New data highlight the...
02/22/2012
First Report Managed Care
02/22/2012
Mary Beth Nierengarten
Chicago—New recommendations for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are near completion and will provide evidence-based recommendations on a number of issues related to the use of biologics and traditional disease-modifying...
Chicago—New recommendations for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are near completion and will provide evidence-based recommendations on a number of issues related to the use of biologics and traditional disease-modifying...
Chicago—New recommendations for...
02/22/2012
First Report Managed Care
02/21/2012
Jill Sederstorm
Healthcare providers and staff who perceived more patient-centered medical home (PCMH) characteristics at their workplace were more likely to report higher morale, according to the results of a recent study. The findings from the study were...
Healthcare providers and staff who perceived more patient-centered medical home (PCMH) characteristics at their workplace were more likely to report higher morale, according to the results of a recent study. The findings from the study were...
Healthcare providers and staff...
02/21/2012
First Report Managed Care
02/21/2012
Mary Beth Nierengarten
Future changes to Part D Reporting Requirements proposed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for contract year 2013 may pose new challenges to Part D plan sponsors if enacted. Responding to a request by CMS for comments on...
Future changes to Part D Reporting Requirements proposed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for contract year 2013 may pose new challenges to Part D plan sponsors if enacted. Responding to a request by CMS for comments on...
Future changes to Part D...
02/21/2012
First Report Managed Care
02/21/2012
Jill Sederstorm
Restructuring the Medicare benefit design and placing a limit on beneficiary cost-sharing for Medicare-covered services in 2013 could lead to savings for Medicare and a minority of beneficiaries with high medical spending, but it could also...
Restructuring the Medicare benefit design and placing a limit on beneficiary cost-sharing for Medicare-covered services in 2013 could lead to savings for Medicare and a minority of beneficiaries with high medical spending, but it could also...
Restructuring the Medicare...
02/21/2012
First Report Managed Care
02/21/2012
Tori Socha
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA) includes a provision requiring private individual and group health plans to provide all applicants and enrollees with a uniform summary of benefits and coverage (SBC). The provision...
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA) includes a provision requiring private individual and group health plans to provide all applicants and enrollees with a uniform summary of benefits and coverage (SBC). The provision...
The Patient Protection and...
02/21/2012
First Report Managed Care
02/21/2012
Tori Socha
Patients in the United States with acute myocardial infarction are most often prescribed a medication regimen at discharge from the hospital. However, gaps in care can occur following discharge, due mainly to either a failure to fill the...
Patients in the United States with acute myocardial infarction are most often prescribed a medication regimen at discharge from the hospital. However, gaps in care can occur following discharge, due mainly to either a failure to fill the...
Patients in the United States...
02/21/2012
First Report Managed Care
02/21/2012
Eileen Koutnik-Fotopoulos
The degree and duration of obesity, expressed as excess body mass index (BMI)-years, increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes more than BMI alone, but race and young age also are risk factors, according to the results of a...
The degree and duration of obesity, expressed as excess body mass index (BMI)-years, increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes more than BMI alone, but race and young age also are risk factors, according to the results of a...
The degree and duration of...
02/21/2012
First Report Managed Care
02/21/2012
Kristina Woodworth
A study published in Archives of Surgery [2011;146(11):1272-1276] has reported that black patients were more likely to undergo emergency surgery for diverticulitis and had a higher in-hospital mortality risk compared with white counterparts.
A study published in Archives of Surgery [2011;146(11):1272-1276] has reported that black patients were more likely to undergo emergency surgery for diverticulitis and had a higher in-hospital mortality risk compared with white counterparts.
A study published in Archives of...
02/21/2012
First Report Managed Care
02/21/2012
Mary Mihalovic
The use of aspirin for primary prevention of cardiovascular events was not shown to be beneficial for preventing fatal myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, or death related to cardiovascular disease (CVD) or cancer, according to results of a...
The use of aspirin for primary prevention of cardiovascular events was not shown to be beneficial for preventing fatal myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, or death related to cardiovascular disease (CVD) or cancer, according to results of a...
The use of aspirin for primary...
02/21/2012
First Report Managed Care
02/21/2012
Jill Sederstorm
A double-blind study evaluating the safety and efficacy of extended prophylaxis with apixaban for venous thromboembolism in acutely ill patients found that the extended treatment was not superior to short-term prophylaxis with enoxaparin;...
A double-blind study evaluating the safety and efficacy of extended prophylaxis with apixaban for venous thromboembolism in acutely ill patients found that the extended treatment was not superior to short-term prophylaxis with enoxaparin;...
A double-blind study evaluating...
02/21/2012
First Report Managed Care
News Connection
02/21/2012
Tori Socha
High-risk patients who have an acute coronary syndrome are often treated with an invasive strategy of coronary angiography. Identifying the most appropriate adjunctive antithrombotic therapy prior to, during, and following percutaneous...
High-risk patients who have an acute coronary syndrome are often treated with an invasive strategy of coronary angiography. Identifying the most appropriate adjunctive antithrombotic therapy prior to, during, and following percutaneous...
High-risk patients who have an...
02/21/2012
First Report Managed Care
02/21/2012
Kristina Woodworth
A randomized study has found that doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (ABVD) chemotherapy was associated with a higher rate of 12-year overall survival than subtotal nodal radiation therapy, with or without ABVD, in patients...
A randomized study has found that doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (ABVD) chemotherapy was associated with a higher rate of 12-year overall survival than subtotal nodal radiation therapy, with or without ABVD, in patients...
A randomized study has found...
02/21/2012
First Report Managed Care
02/21/2012
Tori Socha
In persons with a prior stroke, national guidelines suggest maintaining a normal blood pressure (BP), defined as systolic BP (SBP) of <120 mm Hg and a diastolic BP of <80 mm Hg. According to researchers, data specifically addressing the...
In persons with a prior stroke, national guidelines suggest maintaining a normal blood pressure (BP), defined as systolic BP (SBP) of <120 mm Hg and a diastolic BP of <80 mm Hg. According to researchers, data specifically addressing the...
In persons with a prior stroke,...
02/21/2012
First Report Managed Care
02/21/2012
Tim Casey
Of the 60 million people worldwide and 2.2 million in the United States who have glaucoma, approximately half do not know they suffer from the group of diseases, according to the Glaucoma Research Foundation (GRF). To publicize glaucoma, the...
Of the 60 million people worldwide and 2.2 million in the United States who have glaucoma, approximately half do not know they suffer from the group of diseases, according to the Glaucoma Research Foundation (GRF). To publicize glaucoma, the...
Of the 60 million people...
02/21/2012
First Report Managed Care
News Connection
02/21/2012
Tori Socha
Standard medical therapy following an acute coronary syndrome includes long-term antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and an adenosine diphosphate receptor inhibitor. Despite this therapy, patients remain at risk for recurrent cardiovascular...
Standard medical therapy following an acute coronary syndrome includes long-term antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and an adenosine diphosphate receptor inhibitor. Despite this therapy, patients remain at risk for recurrent cardiovascular...
Standard medical therapy...
02/21/2012
First Report Managed Care
02/21/2012
Jill Sederstorm
The Supreme Court will soon weigh in on the healthcare reform law and its constitutionality by reviewing 2 key provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA): the individual mandate and the Medicaid expansion. A new brief...
The Supreme Court will soon weigh in on the healthcare reform law and its constitutionality by reviewing 2 key provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA): the individual mandate and the Medicaid expansion. A new brief...
The Supreme Court will soon...
02/21/2012
First Report Managed Care
02/21/2012
Tim Casey
With prescription drug prices rising and governments facing dire financial situations, elected officials have proposed legislation that would lower drug prices.
With prescription drug prices rising and governments facing dire financial situations, elected officials have proposed legislation that would lower drug prices.
With prescription drug prices...
02/21/2012
First Report Managed Care
02/21/2012
Tim Casey
Since the US Food and Drug Administration approved Lipitor (atorvastatin) in the late 1990s, Pfizer, Inc, could rely on the cholesterol-lowering drug to generate billions in revenue. The product became the best-selling drug in history,...
Since the US Food and Drug Administration approved Lipitor (atorvastatin) in the late 1990s, Pfizer, Inc, could rely on the cholesterol-lowering drug to generate billions in revenue. The product became the best-selling drug in history,...
Since the US Food and Drug...
02/21/2012
First Report Managed Care