Healio and Mathematica, a research and data analytics consultancy, have partnered to launch Healio PRICE Compass, a pricing transparency tool developed by Mathematica that will allow ophthalmologists to see contracted rates for payers. Hawaiian Eye and Retina attendees can visit the Healio | OSN booth to receive a demonstration of the tool. PRICE Compass, a payer rate insights comparison engine, will offer practices an advantage when negotiating reimbursement rates. “We are thrilled to be working with Mathematica on this endeavor,” Matthew Holland, Healio’s chief operating ..read more

The FDA approved two oncology regimens on Jan. 16. One is for a subset of patients with colorectal cancer and the other for treatment of patients with mantle cell lymphoma. The FDA approved sotorasib (Lumakras, Amgen) with panitumumab (Vectibix, Amgen) as treatment for adults with KRAS G12C-mutated colorectal cancer. The indication applies to use of the regimen by patients who received previous fluoropyrimidine-, oxaliplatin- and irinotecan-based chemotherapy. The agency based approval on results of the randomized CodeBreaK 300, which included 160 patients with KRAS G12C-mutated metastatic ..read more

CMS has selected 15 new drugs for the next round of Medicare Part D price negotiations, according to a press release from HHS. On Jan. 17, CMS announced it will commence negotiations with pharmaceutical companies to lower prices for Medicare Part D coverage for a wide range of drugs to treat multiple forms of cancer, type 2 diabetes, asthma and more. Negotiations will take place this year, with negotiated prices going into effect in 2027. “Today, I’m proud to announce that my administration has selected the next 15 drugs for Medicare drug price negotiation,” President Joe ..read more

From 2002 to 2021, the incidence rate of alcohol-associated hepatitis “more than doubled” among adolescents and young adults in Ontario, Canada, with the highest uptick observed among females, according to research in JAMA Network Open. “Liver-related harms from alcohol are increasing at alarming rates among adolescents and young adults, especially among females, and targeted interventions are needed immediately to try and prevent these trends from continuing in the future,” Jennifer A. Flemming, MD, FRCPC, MAS, associate professor of medicine and public health sciences ..read more

The FDA has approved Omvoh for the treatment of moderately to severely active Crohn’s disease, making it the second interleukin-23p19 specific inhibitor approved for both major types of inflammatory bowel disease, Lilly reported. Previously approved for ulcerative colitis in October 2023, Omvoh (mirikizumab-mrkz) enters an increasingly crowded IBD drug market following the approval of rival IL-23p19 inhibitor Skyrizi (risankizumab, AbbVie) in 2024, alongside the IL-12/23 blockbuster Stelara (ustekinumab, Janssen) and a logjam of its biosimilars set to release this year. Additionally, a ..read more

Patients aged 65 years and older who use acetaminophen demonstrate greater risks for serious complications, including hypertension, chronic kidney disease and gastrointestinal bleeding, noted a study published in Arthritis Care & Research. “Almost all clinical guidelines advocate acetaminophen as the first-line oral pharmacological treatment for pain due to osteoarthritis, mainly because of its perceived safety over other oral analgesics,” Jaspreet Kaur, BAMS, MPH, PGDip, PhD, a research fellow at the University of Nottingham, in the United Kingdom, and colleagues wrote. “However ..read more

Individuals with negative colonoscopy screening results had lower long-term risk for colorectal cancer and related mortality, with researchers suggesting the recommended 10-year rescreening interval may be extended for this population. “Among average-risk individuals undergoing colonoscopy screening, most have negative examination findings and are free of any neoplasia,” Markus Dines Knudsen, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oslo and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and colleagues wrote in JAMA Oncology. “These individuals are generally ..read more

Prucalopride was safe and effective in increasing the frequency of complete spontaneous bowel movements in patients with chronic idiopathic constipation, regardless of age, BMI or renal function, according to data. “Prucalopride (1 or 2 mg once daily) has been demonstrated to improve the number of complete spontaneous bowel movements in patients with CIC over a 12-week treatment period as part of an integrated analysis of six phase 3 and 4 clinical trials,” Anthony Lembo, MD, director of research at the Digestive Disease Institute at Cleveland Clinic, and colleagues wrote in ..read more

The noncompete ban issued by the Federal Trade Commission emerged as one of the most talked about employment law issues in 2024 affecting workers, including medical professionals. Noncompete agreements contractually prohibit workers from joining or starting a competing business after leaving their previous employment. These agreements typically contain terms designating for how long and where these restrictions apply. However, with President-elect Donald J. Trump’s incoming administration, significant changes are expected at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in 2025 that may alter the ..read more

This month’s Healio Exclusive highlights an essential dialogue on gender disparities in medicine, particularly in gastroenterology, and the persistent barriers women face in achieving leadership roles. Despite significant growth in the number of women in the field, the data remain sobering: Women comprise just 21% of practicing gastroenterologists, with far fewer in leadership positions. In the article, Amy Oxentenko, MD, FACP, AGAF, FACG, Rinarani Sanghavi, MD, MBA, and Nancy D. Spector, MD, thoughtfully illustrate how inequities in pay, opportunity and sponsorship fuel this ..read more