Expert Interviews

The Teal Wand was recently approved by the FDA as the first self-collection device to screen for cervical cancer, a major step forward for accessible women’s health, according to Rahma S. Mkuu, Ph.D., M.P.H., assistant professor in the Department of Health Outcomes & Biomedical Informatics at the University of Florida College of Medicine.

In a panel moderated by Peter Wehrwein, managing editor of Managed Healthcare Executive three Washington, D.C., healthcare lobbyists with extensive D.C. experience discussed healthcare politics and policy dynamics under the Trump administration. Ryann Hill, M.P.H.; Patrick Cooney and Lindsay Greenleaf, J.D., MBA, said healthcare remains a top issue despite all the attention on immigration, tariffs and universities. Key issues include staffing cuts at HHS, with potential effects on the operations of the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They also discussed the massive reconciliation bill and Medicaid changes, including work requirements and provider tax freezes, Medicare Advantage plan rate hikes and audits, and the May 12 drug pricing executive order and the implications of most-favored nation pricing.

Esteban Gallardo, Pharm.D., said his career path changed after early mentorship showed him how managed care pharmacists could make a broader impact on a larger scale.

Kathryn Boger, Ph.D., said leaving academic medicine to co-found InStride Health was both terrifying and transformative. Boger reflected on advice she received early and said, “If you’re feeling scared, it’s a sign that you’re growing.” This wisdom continues to shape her path today.

How pharmaceutical tariffs could reshape drug pricing, supply chains and domestic production in the United States, according to Eric Tichy, Pharm.D., M.B.A., vice chair of pharmacy formulary at the Mayo Clinic Health System.

Lack of insurance, financial instability and even fear are potential reasons women may forego their cervical cancer screening appointments, according to Rahma S. Mkuu, Ph.D., M.P.H., assistant professor in the Department of Health Outcomes & Biomedical Informatics at the University of Florida College of Medicine.

Satellos Bioscience Chief Scientific Officer discusses early-stage trials of the company's Duchenne muscular dystrophy drug, SAT-3247.

Satellos Bioscience's experimental small-molecule drug for Duchenne muscular dystrophy is showing positive results as a stand-alone treatment, but Phil Lambert, Ph.D., the company's chief scientific officer says the complexity of Duchenne muscular dystrophy may ultimately mean that a number of different therapies will be used together,

Phil Lambert, Ph.D., chief scientific officer of Satellos Bioscience Inc., explains the mechanism of action of the company's experimental Duchenne muscular dystrophy drug, SAT-3247, and the thinking behind it.

In a conversation with Managed Healthcare Executive, Hunter expressed that work requirements are an effective way to manage Medicaid eligibility, but what is proposed will cause more harm to those who can't afford commercial healthcare.

A growing trend towards pharmaceutical outpatient treatment spending is driven by accessibility, according to Eric Tichy, Pharm.D., M.B.A., vice chair of pharmacy formulary at the Mayo Clinic Health System.

In this second part of a video series, Managed Healthcare Executive caught up with CareOregon CEO Eric C. Hunter, who voiced concern about the consequences of rising anti-DEI views and potential federal funding cuts.

In this final interview of a three-part video series, Jeffrey Casberg, M.S., vice president of clinical pharmacy at IPD Analytics, told MHE, in response to our recent annual Pharmacy Survey results, that FDA drug approval delays due to government cuts are happening but not widespread yet. He added that early signs and staffing challenges suggest the situation could worsen over time.

GLP-1s are the main reason why pharmacy expenditures have reached double digits in 2025, a continuing trend from 2024, according to Eric Tichy, Pharm.D., M.B.A., vice chair of pharmacy formulary at the Mayo Clinic Health System.

Jeffrey Casberg, M.S., vice president of clinical pharmacy at IPD Analytics, shared his insights on the results of Managed Healthcare Executive’s annual Pharmacy Survey in this part-two interview of a three-video series. In the interview, he discussed survey respondents’ views on Alzheimer’s disease as a leading driver of rising U.S. drug spending over the next three years. More than 100 healthcare industry experts took part in this year’s survey.

In this first of a three-part video interview series, Jeffrey Casberg, M.S., vice president of clinical pharmacy at IPD Analytics, shared his input on Managed Healthcare Executive’s annual Pharmacy Survey results. In this interview, he gave his thoughts on respondents’ answers regarding new treatments that are most likely to significantly impact payer budgets this year and early next. Over 100 healthcare industry experts participated in this year’s survey.

There are several ways to address HIV in homeless populations, with the most promising being the low barrier care model, according to Julie Dombrowski, M.D., M.P.H., professor of medicine at the University of Washington and director of HIV treatment initiatives at the King County, Seattle public health department.

Homelessness and HIV share common risk factors, according to Julie Dombrowski, M.D., M.P.H., professor of medicine at the University of Washington and director of HIV treatment initiatives at the King County, Seattle public health department.

Finding a cure for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) would mean reducing treatment waste, according to Ashwin N. Ananthakrishnan, M.D., M.P.H., MGH, associate professor of medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital and Johan Burisch, M.D., Ph.D., a gastroenterologist at Hvidovre Hospital in Denmark.

High costs and the novelty and complexity of new therapies such as gene therapy present social determinants of health and health literacy challenges, says Tiara Green, president of Accessia Health

Cost is a barrier to care for chronic and rare diseases, so financial assistance is way to lower that barrier and help people manage their health condition, says Green, president of Accessia Health

Digital pharmacy solutions can help brick and mortar locations become more efficient, according to Sarah Thomas, VP of sales and commercialization at HealthDyne and David Skomo, COO of HealthDyne.

A panelist discusses how the adoption of C-peptide preservation as a critical end point in clinical trials represents a paradigm shift in type 1 diabetes (T1D) research, moving beyond glucose control alone to focus on disease-modifying therapies that can maintain endogenous insulin production and potentially alter the fundamental course of the disease.

A growing and more diverse pipeline means that there is a greater need for digital innovations, which can address affordability, access and industry collaboration, according to Sarah Thomas, VP of sales and commercialization at HealthDyne and David Skomo, COO of HealthDyne.

Becky Davis of Charles River Associates predicts that an influx of new and oral GLP-1 drugs, along with pricing pressures from policy and competition, will reshape the weight loss drug market in the next two years.

At the 2024 Asembia Specialty Pharmacy Summit, Becky Davis, principal at Charles River Associates, discussed how employer-based insurance coverage for GLP-1s remains uneven—and what factors are influencing decisions about access to these weight-loss treatments.

At this year’s Asembia Specialty Pharmacy Summit in Las Vegas, Managed Healthcare Executive spoke with John Beardsley, senior vice president of corporate business development at CoverMyMeds, and Fauzea Husain, vice president of public policy at McKesson, about what potentially lies ahead for the Inflation Reduction Act under this Trump administration.

At the 2025 Asembia Specialty Pharmacy Summit in Las Vegas, John Beardsley, senior vice president of corporate business development at CoverMyMeds, and Fauzea Husain, vice president of public policy at McKesson, discussed the future of Medicare drug pricing, including potential changes to the “pill penalty” and efforts to improve transparency in the negotiation process.

Kathi Henson, senior vice president of patient services, nursing and quality at Orsini, spoke with MHE editors at this year’s Asembia Specialty Pharmacy Summit in Las Vegas about how analytics and AI are shaping the future of specialty pharmacy. She highlighted the unique role data plays in improving patient outcomes, managing rising costs and maintaining high standards of care in an increasingly complex field.

Fran Gregory, PharmD, MBA, VP of emerging therapies at Cardinal Health, talks about the importance of market access strategies in the cell and gene therapy space.