Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic interstitial lung disease of unknown cause, with median survival of 3 to 5 years. Establishing a diagnosis of IPF can be challenging, with misdiagnoses and delays commonly reported, which cause delays in treatment that can slow the disease progression. The researchers at PHAR recently published a study in which they used Medicare data to examine patterns of diagnostic respiratory testing and pulmonologist visits that precede IPF diagnosis to investigate potential diagnostic delays. This paper was then highlighted in an editorial in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society, where the author “commended [them] for taking on this challenge of examining the real-world temporal relationship between test performance and IPF diagnosis” and commented, “Their findings raise important questions with practical implications for the clinical care of subjects with IPF.” The study and related publications can be found on the PHAR publications page.
Awards & Recognition
PHAR Study Wins Best Poster Award at ISPOR Asia Pacific 2018
Research focusing on schizophrenia, major depressive disorder, and bipolar I disorder conducted by PHAR and supported by Otsuka Pharmaceuticals Development & Commercialization, Inc. and H. Lundbeck A/S was well-represented at ISPOR Asia Pacific 2018. One study focusing on the effect of timing of long-acting injectable initiation in patients with schizophrenia was selected as an oral presentation, and four others were presented as posters. A study on the impact of comorbid substance abuse on costs in bipolar I disorder won the Best Poster General Research Presentation. The posters and related manuscripts can be accessed on the PHAR website.
PHAR Makes 15 Research Presentations at Conferences Across the US in May
PHAR had 14 posters and 1 oral presentation at a series of recent conferences, including the ISPOR 22nd Annual International Meeting, National Lipid Association Scientific Sessions, American Thoracic Society International Conference, and the Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association. Four posters at ISPOR were honored with the Research Poster Finalist Award. The study topics covered a wide variety of conditions and study methods, including using insurance claims to evaluate medication adherence in bipolar patients and developing models to project cardiovascular disease mortality rates. All posters gained favorable reviews at the conferences and can be accessed here.
PHAR Poster on Cystic Fibrosis Awarded Bronze Medal at AMCP 2016
This retrospective study used insurance claims data to examine the extent of twice-daily use of dornase alfa among cystic fibrosis patients. The study was done in partnership with researchers at Genentech, Inc. and presented at Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy Annual Meeting in San Francisco. See the full poster here.
Cushing’s Disease Research Selected for Oral Presentation at ENDO 2016
A study conducted by the researchers at PHAR was selected for oral presentation at Endocrine Society’s 2016 Annual Meeting in Boston in April. The study used data from medical records at 8 US endocrine centers to describe treatment outcomes for Cushing’s Disease patients . The findings of the study can be viewed here. Including this one, there were 5 poster presentations of studies by PHAR. All posters presented at ENDO can be accessed here.
Abstract Highlighted in ASH Daily Report
An abstract submitted by researchers at PHAR and Jazz Pharmaceuticals was highlighted by the American Society of Hematology (ASH) at their 57th Annual Meeting. The study estimated the total 100-day and one-year costs associated with inpatient hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, stratified by type of conditioning regimen and other potential contributors to cost. Researchers found that total per patient healthcare costs ranged from $182,000 to $409,000 in the one-year period post transplant. The poster can be accessed here.
PHAR Study Takes AMCP Silver Medal 2 Years in a Row
For the second year in a row, PHAR was presented with a Silver Medal by the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy. This year, the award was for a study on health care resource use and costs associated with high OCS use in patients with asthma, conducted by researchers at PHAR and Genentech, Inc., The retrospective claims analysis found that high OCS use was associated with significantly higher costs than no OCS use, especially in patients with possible side effects in the high OCS use cohort. The study can be viewed here.
Study by PHAR Researchers Wins Silver Medal at AMCP Nexus Conference
The Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy awarded its Silver Medal to a study conducted by PHAR and researchers from Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. This retrospective claims analysis found that the per patient healthcare cost of Cushing’s disease care was more than double the cost for diabetes care and quadruple the cost for population-based controls. The study was presented at the AMCP Nexus Conference in Boston, MA. The poster can be viewed here.
PHAR Study on Asthma-Related Outcomes Receives Silver Medal at AMCP Annual Meeting
PHAR partnered with researchers at Genentech Inc. to study the relationship between the Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) and Asthma-Related Outcomes. Patients with low asthma medication ratio (AMR< 0.5) had worse asthma control by multiple measures including hospitalization/ED visits, OCS use, and SABA use. The number of asthma-related office visits was also slightly higher for low AMR patients. The findings support the use of AMR as a quality of care measurement for patients with persistent asthma. The Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy awarded this study a silver medal at their annual meeting. The poster presented at the AMCP Annual Meeting can be viewed here.
Journal Watch Reports on PHAR Study
According to Andrew M. Kaunitz, MD, Editor in chief of Journal Watch, Women’s Health, a study by PHAR researchers demonstrates that “except in women with mutations that raise risk for ovarian cancer, bilateral oophorectomy should not be performed at hysterectomy for benign indications.” Dr. Kaunitz is is Professor and Associate Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Florida College of Medicine–Jacksonville.