News

Survey taker says payers are the only winners in healthcare reform; calls ACO member rules silly.

HealthPartners and Park Nicollet Health Services, have decided to combine to create an integrated healthcare delivery and financing powerhouse.

FDA's Cardiovascular and Renal Drugs Advisory Committee recommended against approving lixivaptan (CRTX 080, Cornerstone Therapeutics), for the treatment of symptomatic hypervolemic and euvolemic hyponatremia associated with heart failure and syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone, respectively.

FDA has approved teriflunomide (Aubagio, Genzyme, a Sanofi company), a once-daily, oral treatment indicated for patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis.

Qualitest, a subsidiary of Endo Health Solutions, has issued a voluntary, nationwide retail-level recall for 1 lot of hydrocodone bitartrate and acetaminophen tablets, USP 10 mg/500 mg.

FDA has approved the production and use of Choline C-11 Injection (Mayo Clinic PET Radiochemistry Facility), a PET imaging agent used to help detect recurrent prostate cancer.

Legislation proposed by Michigan's governor would modernize the state's regulatory system in time for changes under PPACA.

Gabapentin may be an effective and well-tolerated treatment for patients with refractory chronic cough, according to a study published August 28 in The Lancet.

A fixed-dose combination of azilsartan medoxomil plus chlorthalidone (Edarbyclor, Takeda) was statistically superior to azilsartan medoxomil coadministered with hydrochlorothiazide at reducing and maintaining systolic blood pressure, according to the results of a phase 3 study published online August 31 in The American Journal of Medicine.

An FDA advisory panel voted 13 to 1 that there was adequate evidence of efficacy and safety to support the use of tobramycin inhalation powder (Novartis) for the management of cystic fibrosis patients whose lungs contain bacteria called Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

FDA has granted priority review to bedaquiline, or TMC207 (Johnson & Johnson's Janssen Research & Development), for treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.

CDC recommends value-based strategies to help members control high blood pressure

The Medicare Part D prescription drug program has emerged as the poster child for how private plans can control costs while providing quality care. Even critics of health insurers acknowledge that the drug benefit has been a success.

Drug Watch: Pain

Recent FDA action (through August 2012) related to, ferric carboxymaltose injection, Injectafer, abiraterone acetate, Zytiga, cabozantinib, Exelixis, eltrombopag, Promacta, AEZS-130 oral ghrelin agonist, inhaled nitric oxide, GeNO LLC, gevokizumab, XOMA, calcipotriene cream, Dovonex, montelukast sodium, Singulair, lidocaine topical patch 5%, Lidoderm, filgrastim, Neupogen

New molecular entity: FDA approved Mirabegron (Myrbetriq, Astellas Pharma US) for the treatment of OAB with symptoms of urge urinary incontinence, urgency, and urinary frequency.

Irritable bowel syndrome is functional gastrointestinal disorder that is expensive to treat and can impair quality of life. Current therapies are reviewed.

A look at the decision process that lead the Mayo Clinic to abandon the 80-mg dose of simvastatin

A recent study indicates that patients taking statins have a higher risk of developing cataracts.

Recent FDA Approvals (through August 2012) related to (CSL Limited, GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, ID Biomedical Corp, MedImmune Vaccines, Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics Limited, Sanofi Pasteur, Genentech, Talon Therapeutics, Amarin, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Horizon Pharma, Forest Pharmaceuticals, Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Novartis, Pfizer, Sagent Pharmaceuticals)

New molecular entity: FDA approved Lorcaserin (Belviq, Arena Pharmaceuticals GMBH), as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for chronic weight management in adults with an initial body mass index deemed obese and the presence of at least 1 weight-related comorbid condition.

A significant number of men who developed persistent sexual side effects from taking finasteride (Propecia and Proscar) also suffer from depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts, according to a study published online in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.

Incretin-based therapies are now the most promising therapies for type 2 diabetes.

Teduglutide is a recombinant analog of human glucagon-like peptide-2 that is awaiting FDA approval for the treatment of short bowel syndrome (SBS) as a once-daily subcutaneous injection.

Real-time data sharing plays big role in effective, high-quality care.

Reduction in uncompensated care benefits insurers

Integrating mental health and behavioral health unlocks a value proposition

As the industry moves toward a retail environment, the importance of becoming member-centric can't be understated.