MAYO CLINIC

Biomarker testing in oncology is underutilized, with only 36% of patients receiving precision medicine-driven treatment. Barriers include lack of biopsy referrals, insufficient test samples, and prior authorizations. Removing prior authorizations could significantly improve non–small cell lung cancer patients' survival chances.

Introducing a 75-mg vial size for Leqembi could save Medicare up to $336 million annually by reducing drug waste, as current vial sizes often exceed prescribed doses, leading to significant discard.

A tweak in vial sizes of Alzheimer’s drug Leqembi could save Medicare $336 million annually by reducing waste from leftover doses.

Mayo Clinic event discussed cannabis use in cancer care and drug costs. Cannabis strains and delivery systems were detailed, with limited data on efficacy. Drug costs in cancer care were highlighted, emphasizing the need for policy changes to manage skyrocketing prices.

The nanomedicine market, valued at USD 223.6 billion in 2023, is projected to reach USD 634.2 billion by 2032, driven by advanced drug delivery systems and rising chronic diseases. Key players include Johnson & Johnson, Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries. Recent developments include Novartis's nanoparticle-based ovarian cancer treatment and Merck's partnership with Stanford for immunotherapy research.

A study by Lotte Dyrbye, MD, MHPE, found burnout risk varied by gender, race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation among 45,687 medical students from 2019-2021, with no substantial increase during early COVID-19 years. Higher risks were observed in male, Asian, Black/African American, and sexual minority students, while female, Hispanic, white, and heterosexual students had lower risks. Despite pandemic stress, burnout scores remained stable, possibly due to supportive educational measures.

A small study suggests combining Ozempic with a new intestinal procedure, ReCET, could eliminate insulin need in type 2 diabetics. After six months, 12 of 14 participants no longer required insulin. ReCET, pioneered by Mayo Clinic, uses pulsed electric fields to regenerate metabolically active cells in the duodenum. Larger trials are needed to confirm these findings.

Members of the US Pancreatic Disease Study Group include C. Mel Wilcox, Ji Young Bang, Akwi Asombang, Chloe Bennett, Yan Bi, Wojciech Blogowski, James Buxbaum, Wei-Shen Chin, Darwin Conwell, Gregory A. Coté, Timothy B. Gardner, Pramod Garg, Nalini Guda, Robert Hawes, Yasmin G. Hernandez-Barco, Emily Jonica, Prashant Kedia, Thomas Kowalski, Vivek Kumbhari, Linda Lee, Jorge Machicado, Desiree Morgan, Thiruvengadam Muniraj, Udayakumar Navaneethan, Veeral Oza, Swati Pawa, Rajesh Puri, Amit Rastogi, D. Nageshwar Reddy, Monica Saumoy, Mandeep Sawhney, Santhi Swaroop Vege, Rupjyoti Talukdar, Paul Tarnasky, Felix Tellez-Avila, Shyam Thakkar, Nikhil Thiruvengadam, Elaina Vivian, Irving Waxman, Field F. Willingham, Shyam Varadarajulu.

Gastroenterologists' knowledge of IBD endoscopy is high, but unclear definitions lead to inconsistent interpretations. UCEIS and SES-CD are most consistent with clinical practice. Training and AI could improve consistency and interpretation, but further research is needed.

Insurance restrictions force some cancer patients to travel hours for CAR T-cell therapy, impacting treatment access. A study found age, race, income, and proximity to treatment centers significantly affect who receives CAR T. Employers increasingly use Centers of Excellence to manage costs, but this restricts patient options. Despite stringent post-treatment monitoring, a recent study suggests reducing the monitoring period to 2 weeks could improve accessibility.