Publications by authors named "B D Forrest"
Background/objective: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a diagnosis that incorporates a heterogeneous set of neurodegenerative processes into a single progressive and uniformly fatal disease making the development of a uniformly applicable therapeutic difficult. Recent multinational ALS natural history incidence studies have identified systemic chronic activation of the innate immune system as a major risk factor for developing ALS. Persistent immune activation in patients with ALS leads to loss of muscle and lowering of serum creatinine.
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- The study evaluated the impact of a 6-month treatment with NP001, an immune modulator, on survival rates in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
- Based on data from 268 out of 273 participants in two clinical trials, the median overall survival (OS) increased by 4.8 months for those receiving NP001 compared to the placebo group, especially notable in patients aged 65 and under.
- The results suggest that targeting inflammation via the innate immune system with NP001 could potentially offer new therapeutic approaches for ALS treatment.
Health technology assessment and innovation: here to help or hinder?
Int J Technol Assess Health Care
October 2024
Article Synopsis
- Innovative health technologies have great potential for improving patient care, but policy makers are often hesitant to adopt new innovations due to concerns about evidence, costs, and the difficulty of removing technologies once they're integrated.
- The traditional health technology assessment (HTA) process emphasizes therapeutic value and cost-savings, which may overlook the importance of innovation and its benefits in healthcare.
- To better support and incentivize innovation, policies should incorporate innovative HTA tools like horizon scanning and multicriteria decision analysis, shifting the focus from costs to investments to enhance patient outcomes, as discussed in the recent Health Technology Assessment International Asia Policy Forum in Taiwan.
Article Synopsis
- Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is a serious blood disorder linked to bone marrow failure, leading to dangerous blood clots and increased health risks.
- Treatments like eculizumab and ravulizumab target a specific protein to decrease blood breakdown, but studies show a lower survival rate for PNH patients compared to healthy individuals.
- Despite being effective in reducing certain risks, these treatments don’t fully address mortality in patients with coexisting bone marrow issues, indicating a need for further research.