Panelists explain how health care professionals evaluate menopause symptoms using validated questionnaires, symptom tracking, clinical interviews, hormonal tests, and patient-reported outcome measures to comprehensively assess severity and quality-of-life impact.
Pharmacists must consider drug Interactions, allergies, and comorbidities when treating patients with urinary tract infections (UTIs).
Panelists discuss how HER2 testing optimization requires multisite sampling and quantitative assessment methods to account for intratumoral heterogeneity. Beyond HER2, biomarkers such as PI3K mutations, hormone receptor status, and tumor mutational burden can guide therapy selection for metastatic breast cancer (mBC), enabling more personalized treatment approaches.
Panelists discuss how antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) show varying efficacy and adverse event (AE) profiles based on their payload potency, linker stability, and drug-to-antibody ratio. Cleavable linkers enable targeted drug release but may increase toxicity, while noncleavable designs offer better stability. Payload selection impacts both therapeutic index and AEs, with more potent warheads requiring careful optimization of targeting and release kinetics.
Research has demonstrated a reduction in hospitalization risk associated with the use of LAIs, but some barriers can prevent the wider adoption of this approach.
The ongoing "quad-demic" of influenza, norovirus, RSV, and COVID is creating heightened health risks, making prevention through hygiene, masking, and vaccination critical.
Intravenous immunoglobulin therapy for patients with CIDP requires navigating insurance coverage and prolonged therapy.
Phil Vigeant shares benefits and considerations of plant-based protein powders, highlighting the pharmacist's role in recommending quality plant-based protein powders.
According to Pranav Garimella, pharmacists are essential in counseling patients with CKD on the appropriate use of semaglutide.
Gaps in education about biosimilars, particularly among pharmacists, patients, and prescribers, are a significant barrier to wider adoption.
Etranacogene dezaparvovec offers a long-term, cost-effective solution for hemophilia B by providing sustained factor IX expression but requires careful patient selection and post-infusion liver monitoring.
Panelists discuss how pharmacists must carefully consider factors like age-related changes in drug metabolism, comorbid conditions, concurrent medications, fall risk, and individual patient response when dosing and titrating VMAT2 inhibitors in older adults, typically recommending a "start low, go slow" approach while closely monitoring for both efficacy and adverse effects.
Panelists discuss how pharmacists serve as essential medication experts by providing comprehensive counseling on VMAT2 inhibitors, including proper administration, expectations for symptom improvement, potential side effects, and drug interactions, while playing a vital role in monitoring older adult patients through regular check-ins, medication therapy management services, and collaboration with the healthcare team to optimize treatment outcomes.
Melody Smith, MD, MS, discusses how microbiome modulation may influence CAR T-cell therapy toxicity and outcomes, highlighting potential future interventions and clinical integration challenges.
Melody Smith, MD, MS, discusses how the intestinal microbiome influences CAR T-cell therapy outcomes, highlighting the negative impact of certain antibiotics and the potential role of dietary interventions in improving treatment efficacy.
Semaglutide has been approved for reducing kidney disease progression and cardiovascular risk in patients with type 2 diabetes, marking a significant advancement in CKD management.
Panelists discuss how menopause represents a complex physiological transition characterized by hormonal fluctuations, reproductive system changes, and multifaceted symptoms affecting physical, psychological, and metabolic health. Comprehensive patient education, personalized management strategies, and holistic support are crucial for navigating this transformative life stage.
Panelists discuss how antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) combine monoclonal antibodies with cytotoxic payloads, enabling precise targeting of breast cancer (BC) cells through specific antigen recognition. Upon binding, the ADC-antigen complex is internalized, releasing the toxic payload inside cancer cells while largely sparing healthy tissue. This targeted approach offers improved efficacy and reduces systemic toxicity compared with traditional chemotherapy's broad cytotoxic effects.
Panelists discuss how the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) and American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)/College of American Pathologists (CAP) guidelines for HER2-negative breast cancer (BC) have evolved to recognize HER2-low (IHC 1+ or 2+/ISH-negative) and HER2-ultra low (IHC 0) as distinct categories. These classifications, particularly HER2-low, guide eligibility for targeted therapies such as trastuzumab deruxtecan, expanding treatment options beyond traditional chemotherapy for previously categorized HER2-negative patients.
Panelists discuss how pharmacists play a crucial role in optimizing health outcomes for women with complex health needs through comprehensive medication management, personalized consultations, and interdisciplinary collaboration. They provide targeted medication therapy, monitor drug interactions, offer medication counseling, manage chronic conditions, support reproductive health, and help patients navigate complex treatment regimens with expertise and compassionate care.
Identifying and managing IVIG-related side effects early on in treatment can improve efficacy and safety for patients with CIDP.
Phil Vigeant shares insights on the health benefits of protein supplements and guidance for consumers to identify safe and effective protein powder products.
Donna Ryan explains why long-term treatment with GLP-1 medication is typically necessary to maintain weight loss benefits.
Future research can explore the underlying cause of recurrent pericarditis with systemic Sjögren syndrome and the combination of rilonacept with immunosuppressive therapies.
Steven Pipe, MD, explains the long-term efficacy data surrounding etranacogene dezaparvovec in patients with hemophilia B.
Panelists discuss how the TD patient journey often begins with subtle symptoms that may go unrecognized, particularly in older adults who face unique challenges with diagnosis and treatment, while emphasizing the crucial role pharmacists play in early identification through medication reviews, regular monitoring of patients on antipsychotics, coordination with healthcare providers, and ongoing assessment of treatment response and adherence.
Panelists discuss how barriers to optimizing TD therapy include insurance coverage limitations, high medication costs, delayed diagnosis, lack of provider awareness, and stigma associated with movement disorders, while highlighting strategies like patient assistance programs, early screening protocols, provider education initiatives, and collaborative care models to overcome these obstacles and improve access to effective treatment.
Pharmacists can help educate patients, identify adverse events, and help patients communicate with other health care professionals or drug companies.
Andrew Lin, PharmD, BCOP, discusses his pharmacist-led study examining the association between early tacrolimus levels and outcomes post-allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation.
Panelists discuss how health care professionals collaborate through interdisciplinary teams, integrated care coordination, and life cycle-specific approaches to provide comprehensive women’s health care, addressing gaps by implementing patient-centered, culturally sensitive models that prioritize holistic well-being across different life stages.
