News from Wednesday, April 29, 2026
Articles
Trabeculectomy More Effective Than Medication at Reducing Vision Field Loss in Glaucoma
(4/29, Julia Bonavitacola, AJMC) reports “...Patients with advanced glaucoma were found to have better outcomes when receiving a trabeculectomy as their first-line treatment compared with those who used medical treatment, as the rate of visual field (VF) loss was faster in the latter, according to a study in Ophthalmology.” Full
Assessing the Return on Investment of HEOR to the Biopharmaceutical Industry
(4/29, David Thompson, The Evidence Base) comments “...By quantifying returns on a project level, our framework can help HEOR leaders make stronger cases for resources, guide more efficient allocation of budgets and, ultimately, do better what HEOR professionals have always strived to do – instill value considerations into treatment decisions for the benefit of all health system stakeholders. This hints at a forward-looking role for ROI estimation that we did not anticipate going in. We invite colleagues across the HEOR community to engage with our work at ISPOR 2026 and beyond.” Subscription Required
KPWHRI Awarded Funding to Study Antinausea Drugs in Pregnancy
(4/28, Sophie Ramsey, Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute) reports “...[Sascha Dublin, MD, PhD, and colleagues] will examine the effectiveness and safety of 4 commonly used prescription medications: ondansetron (brand name Zofran), promethazine, metoclopramide, and doxylamine-pyridoxine (brand names Diclegis and Bonjesta). The researchers will compare the medications with each other and with taking no prescription medications. Conducted in real-world care settings, the project will generate evidence on outcomes that matter to patients, helping them and their care teams make better-informed health care decisions.” Full
Payer–Provider Partnerships For Specialty Care Must Use Health Outcomes As Their North Star
(4/29, Amol S. Navathe, Deneen Vojta, Ravi Kavasery, Health Affairs Forefront) comments “...When both parties prioritize health outcomes—including time-to-outcome—as their organizing principle, they also create the conditions to systematically remove low- (or no-) value administrative processes: prior authorization, redundant documentation, fragmented data exchange, and the rework created by inconsistent clinical expectations. In this sense, the central thesis of the model is to build a shared operating environment that lowers structural costs for both, frees up capacity for timely access to care, and realigns effort toward what most reliably improves patient outcomes.” Full
Press Releases
From Promise to Proof: Strengthening the Evidence Base for Digital Health Technologies
(4/28, ISPOR Press Release) “...‘Digital health technologies have increasingly become system-relevant components of healthcare delivery,’ noted Mühlbacher, Amelung, and Kolasa in their opening editorial. ‘Yet the term still masks considerable variation in definition and terminology. Value is realized through pathways and systems, not embedded as a fixed product attribute, and therefore requires evidence that remains credible under change.’ This themed section spotlights how these technologies create value through clinical, behavioral, and system pathways—and how that value can be evaluated for real-world healthcare decisions.” Full
Bloomberg School to Receive Funding for Two Patient-Focused Research Projects
(4/28, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Press Release) “Two faculty from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health will conduct research projects with new awards from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). PCORI is a nonprofit organization that funds patient-centered, comparative clinical effectiveness research designed to provide patients and those who care for them with evidence to make better-informed health care decisions.” Full
Ascension Awarded Funding to Implement Improved Hypertension Management
(4/28, Ascension Press Release) “...‘This work is about bringing proven, evidence-based care models into everyday practice in a way that is scalable, accessible and centered around the patient,’ said Mohamad Fakih, MD, MPH, Senior Vice President of Quality and Safety at Ascension. ‘By combining primary care with virtual support and remote monitoring, we have an opportunity to intervene early, stay more connected to patients between visits and improve outcomes for those with uncontrolled hypertension.’” Full
Duke & UNC Researchers to Co-Lead $12.9M Study to Improve Care for Autistic Children
(4/29, UNC School of Medicine News Release) “...Up to 65% of autistic children experience constipation, a rate that is three times higher than the general population. The condition is associated with irritability, social withdrawal, disruption of daily routines, and even self-injury. ‘We see firsthand that standard treatments don’t always work well for autistic children, where sensory sensitivities, diet, and medication tolerance can complicate care,’ said [pediatric gastroenterologist Bruno Chumpitazi, M.D.], a professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the Duke University School of Medicine. ‘This study is designed to generate clear, evidence-based guidance that clinicians and families can use.’” Full
First NICE Recommended Treatment for Uncontrolled Generalised Myasthenia Gravis
(4/29, NICE Press Release) “We’ve recommended a new treatment called rozanolixizumab for some adults living with generalised myasthenia gravis (gMG) whose symptoms are not controlled by existing treatments...Rozanolixizumab (also known as Rystiggo and made by UCB Pharma) could help around 800 adults in England. It aims to reduce symptoms and improve day-to-day quality of life.” Full
Journals
Comparative Effectiveness of First-Line Taxane-Platinum Versus Fluorouracil-Platinum Chemotherapy in Advanced Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Propensity Score-Matched Real-World Study
Sisi Ye, et al.
April 22, 2026, Therapeutic Advances in Medical Oncology
Longitudinal Visual Field and Quality of Life Change in the Treatment for Advanced Glaucoma Study
Giovanni Montesano, PhD, et al.
April 24, 2026, Ophthalmology
Do QALY-Based CEAs Discriminate Against Disabled Patients? A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis
Yue Ma, et al.
April 28, 2026, Value in Health
Health Economic Analysis of Pulsed Field Ablation Compared to Conventional Thermal Ablation for Patients with Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation in China
Jian Ye, et al.
April 29, 2026, Journal of Comparative Effectiveness Research