Economics & Value

Orlando, FL—The impact of poverty and low socioeconomic status on health and survival among children may be even more debilitating than suspected, according to new data presented at ASH 2019. Even in clinical trials, which are designed to provide consistent treatment across groups, socio­economic status was associated with “substantial” differences in survival, researchers were surprised to find out.

Orlando, FL—Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is now approved as third-line treatment for patients with B-cell lymphomas and leukemias. For some patients, CAR T-cell therapy is a miracle therapy, extending survival and, in some cases, as a bridge to a potentially curative transplant.

Medicare models for value-based care in oncology started with the Oncology Care Model (OCM), which was launched in July 2016 and will run until June 2021.

San Diego, CA—As the treatment landscape in oncology changes on a seemingly daily basis, providers face increasingly complex decisions, and it is not just the myriad of therapies available: oncologists must balance drug efficacy and toxicity, clinical outcomes, and patient quality of life, all while providing value-based care. Enter clinical pathways, a multidisciplinary management tool used to guide evidence-­based care for subgroups of patients with predictable clinical courses.

Chicago, IL—Fewer than 7% of adults with cancer and even fewer minority patients participate in clinical trials, which negatively affects the ability to determine the safety and efficacy of new and investigational therapies. At ASCO 2019, 2 experts discussed strategies to overcome the barriers to clinical trial participation and to help enroll more patients with cancer in them.

Chicago, IL—At ASCO 2019, the FDA announced an oncology-specific pilot program for physicians and patients who are seeking access to investigational therapies. The expanded access pilot program is a concierge service, said Richard Pazdur, MD, Director, FDA’s Oncology Center of Excellence, who spoke at a press conference where the new program—Project Facilitate—was announced.

San Diego, CA—Real-world data highlight the significant clinical and economic burden associated with venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with cancer. The data come from a study of 12,785 patients hospitalized with acute illnesses, of which 2002 patients had cancer. The results were presented at ASH 2018 and showed that 3.9% of patients with cancer experienced a VTE event requiring rehospitalization—the highest proportion of patients among the study population. Moreover, 28.2% of VTE-related readmissions occurred within the first 30 days of initial hospital discharge.

San Diego, CA—An analysis of real-world administrative claims data in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) has highlighted the need for treatments that result in fewer adverse events, according to data presented at ASH 2018.

San Diego, CA—For children and young adults diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), receiving treatment at specialized cancer centers has been associated with improved outcomes versus nonspecialized centers, but this comes at an increased cost, according to data presented at ASH 2018.

San Diego, CA—Analysis of healthcare utilization among Medicare beneficiaries with multiple myeloma suggests that the setting of autologous hema­topoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) has a significant impact on provider reimbursement and out-of-pocket expenses for patients, according to data presented at ASH 2018.