Drug price disruption: Will the new Amazon deal have an impact?

Submitted by blackswan on Thu, 02/01/2018 - 23:01

A recent analysis by reporter Erin Mershon in STAT  offers five reasons why it is so very difficult to make drugs more affordable, despite President Trump’s repeated vow to lower prices. The five factors are:

What are the prospects for early diagnosis, CRISPR gene-editing, and CAR T-cell therapies in myeloma?

Submitted by blackswan on Fri, 01/26/2018 - 22:00

What does the new cancer research mean for patients? IMF Chairman Dr. Brian G.M. Durie sees a fresh take on MGUS, the curative potential of cloning, and questions on the value of early diagnosis.

Is Putting the Care Back into Healthcare the Answer?

Submitted by blackswan on Thu, 01/18/2018 - 13:30

Two recent news articles highlight the fractured nature of our healthcare delivery system. The first article describes how a radioactive isotope (Molybdenum-99 or “moly-99”) that is vital for imaging the bones and the heart is no longer manufactured in the US. We currently rely on sources as far away as South Africa and Australia to supply it. But now there is an ambitious plan to establish production of moly-99 in the cornfields of Wisconsin. A similar story has emerged with the shortage of intravenous saline (salt) solutions needed in the treatment of the current flu epidemic. The main source has been Puerto Rico, which suffered serious damage from Hurricane Maria and is no longer able to export its goods.

Top Five Trends in Myeloma News for 2018

Submitted by blackswan on Fri, 01/12/2018 - 02:06

As the new year begins, important developments that will impact patients have been in the news, ranging from molecular testing to new therapies for myeloma. The depth and scope of these reports reflect what I think are five key trends for 2018 and beyond.

ASH 2017: Separating Hype from Hope About CAR T-Cell Therapy

Submitted by blackswan on Fri, 12/15/2017 - 03:42

At the 2017 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) in Atlanta (December 9th -12th), 981 abstracts dealt with myeloma-related topics. Among all of these— some of which were discussed on the IMWG Conference Series broadcast on Monday, December 11th, and which I will discuss in more detail during the ASH Highlights Teleconference on January 11th-- the “big buzz” was about the CAR T-cell (chimeric antigen receptors) clinical trial results.

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