CER Daily Newsfeed

Switching from CD20 Inhibitors to Fumarates May be OK in Stable MS

(2/18, Andrea Lobo, PhD, Multiple Sclerosis News Today) reports “Switching from anti-CD20 medications to less effective fumarate therapies is linked to reduced healthcare visits and costs related to infections after a year, without affecting the rate of relapses in stable multiple sclerosis (MS). That’s according to an analysis of a U.S. healthcare claims database, which compared switchers against people who stayed on CD20 inhibitors.” Full

Exploring Shared Decision-Making in Atrial Fibrillation

(2/19, Olivia Dimmer, Northwestern Medicine News Center) reports “...In the study, more than 1,000 atrial fibrillation patients and their physicians across six medical research sites received decision aids for patients and physicians or followed standard care. Patients who received any decision aid (an encounter decision aid, patient decision aid, or both) reported better shared decision-making and greater knowledge than those receiving no decision aid; decisional conflict was also lower among patients who received an encounter decision aid or both decision aids, according to the study...The study was funded by the American Heart Association and the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute.” Full

Prioritize Prior Authorization Reforms In Medicare Advantage

(2/19, Molly T. Turco, Meena Seshamani, Health Affairs Forefront) comments “...We heard from a full range of bipartisan stakeholders about three fundamental challenges related to the current state of utilization management: 1) barriers to access for medically necessary care, 2) a huge administrative burden on the U.S. health care system, and 3) negative market impacts, particularly for rural hospitals. These are complex problems, and policy approaches must surgically address access and burden issues while still maintaining plans’ ability to reduce waste, low value care, and cost. This paper shares our experience working on these issues at the Center for Medicare and outlines solutions policymakers should continue to pursue.” Full

Pharma Leaders to Meet Trump in Push to Tweak Drug Policies

(2/18, Damian Garde, Madison Muller and Josh Wingrove, Bloomberg) reports “...The meeting will include Stephen Ubl, head of Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, one of the people said, along with the CEOs of several major drugmakers. The industry is hoping to win the new administration’s support for changes to a law that allows the federal government to negotiate certain drug prices.” Full