Exploring the impact of insurance switching on the cost-effectiveness of population genetic screening for familial hypercholesterolemia to US payers.

Background: Widespread familial hypercholesterolemia screening requires a large upfront economic investment, but the health benefits and cost savings of cardiovascular disease prevention directed by screening occur over many years.

Objective: We evaluated the cost-effectiveness of population genetic screening for familial hypercholesterolemia compared to cascade testing to US payers while accounting for patient insurance switching between commercial and Medicare insurance.

Methods: We developed a hybrid decision-tree Markov model to assess genetic screening in 20-year-old adults over a lifetime horizon in which cohort members transitioned between commercial payers representing three commercial plans and Medicare.

Co-development of a community pharmacy training regarding fentanyl and xylazine test strips.

Introduction: Fentanyl and xylazine test strips (FTS, XTS) are simple point-of-care tests that determine the presence of fentanyl or xylazine in a substance before use. Access to FTS and XTS is limited. For pharmacists who are willing to sell an FTS, there is little guidance about how to implement FTS sales and counseling as no training for community pharmacists regarding FTS and XTS exists.

Impact of Genomic Classifiers on Risk Stratification and Treatment Intensity in Patients With Localized Prostate Cancer : A Systematic Review.

Background: Tissue-based genomic classifiers (GCs) have been developed to improve prostate cancer (PCa) risk assessment and treatment recommendations.

Purpose: To summarize the impact of the Decipher, Oncotype DX Genomic Prostate Score (GPS), and Prolaris GCs on risk stratification and patient-clinician decisions on treatment choice among patients with localized PCa considering first-line treatment.

Data Sources: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science published from January 2010 to August 2024.

Insurance coverage and consistent pricing is needed for over-the-counter naloxone.

With the Food and Drug Administration's approval of the first over-the-counter naloxone nasal spray in 2023, it was expected that access to naloxone nasal spray would increase and that its cost would be reduced. However, the writers of this commentary found varying insurance coverage of naloxone during purchase attempts at local pharmacies. Failure to cover naloxone can reduce access and increase risk of overdose death.

Complete transition from laparoscopic to robotic liver surgery achieves superior outcomes in difficult hepatectomies: a seven-year retrospective study.

Background: Minimally invasive liver surgery (MILS) is superior to open surgery when considering decreased blood loss, fewer complications, shorter hospital stay, and similar or improved oncologic outcomes. However, operative limitations in laparoscopic hepatectomy have curved its applicability and momentum of complex minimally invasive liver surgery. Transitioning to robotic hepatectomy may bridge this complexity gap.