This episode of Pharmacy Focus, Oncology Edition highlights key insights from the 2024 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, covering new FDA-approved therapies, dose optimization strategies, and innovative prevention approaches in breast cancer care.

Expert discussed benefits of precision oncology treatments that utilize thousands of biomarkers to design personalized treatment plans.

Dr. Amina Abubakar is CEO at Avant Pharmacy and Wellness. You can connect with her on LinkedIn here.

Dr. Stephen Lewis, FAAPMR, is National Medical Director of the Physiatry-Pharmacy Collaborative (PPC). You can connect with him on LinkedIn here.

The Avant Institute annual symposium will take place January 31st to February 1st, 2025, in Charlotte, North Carolina at Queens University. To learn more about the institute, the resources they offer, and details about the symposium, you can access their website here. You can follow Avant Institute on LinkedIn here.

Expert discussed the potential of pelareorep, a novel immunotherapeutic agent, in treating advanced or metastatic breast cancer, particularly in HR-positive, HER2-negative patients, and the plans for further clinical development of pelareorep in this indication.

Thomas Chen, MD, PhD discussed his innovative approach to brain cancer treatment through NeOnc, Inc. 

In this episode, host Dr. Christina Madison interviews Jessica Steier, DrPH, PMP, CEO of Vital Statistics Consulting, and the founder and CEO of Unbiased Science, on her journey in public health and entrepreneurship. In a period of misinformation and disinformation, both Madison and Steier discuss the importance of creating informed, evidence-based decisions within health care.

Data-Based and Evidence-Informed Decisions: Using her podcast, Unbiased Science, Dr. Jessica Steier explains that she doesn’t intend to tell people what scientific opinions to have. Instead, she encourages listeners to use data and factual information to create their own evidence-based decisions to avoid falling for misinformation and disinformation.

Misinformation Versus Disinformation: Dr. Steier explains that the difference in these terms revolves around intent. Misinformation refers to the unintentional spreading of inaccurate information, whereas disinformation is the intentional spread of false information. Dr. Steier also highlights a study conducted by the Center for Countering Digital Hate which found 12 people were responsible for the bulk of disinformation surrounding vaccines.

The Benefits of Social Media: Although social media has been harmful in spreading misinformation and disinformation, Dr. Steier and Dr. Christina Madison discuss how it has been beneficial in emphasizing previously underdiscussed topics. As an example, they note the pain that women experience during IUD insertion, and how the mass discussion of that topic has encouraged health care practices to begin offering solutions and additional education.

 Connect with Jessica Steier on LinkedIn!

Expert shares reasons why many women are behind on their annual breast cancer screenings, along with the latest cutting edge treatment in the breast cancer space. 

The Alzheimer disease treatment landscape is rapidly changing, with several new FDA-approved antibody therapies that target amyloid plaque and aim to slow disease progression. While the controversial approval of aducanumab faced challenges, newer drugs like lecanemab and donanemab have shown more promising results in clinical trials, demonstrating cognitive benefits. Additionally, the pipeline includes novel therapies targeting tau protein and other mechanisms. Advancements in biomarker development, including plasma and imaging tests, are also enabling earlier diagnosis and the potential for preventive treatments before the onset of clinical symptoms.

Experts Include:

Pamela Spicer, neuroscience expert and therapy area Director, Citeline

Martin Tolar, MD, PhD, founder, president, CEO, Alzheon

Sharon Cohen, MD, FRCPC, medical director, site principal investigator, Toronto Memory Program

In this episode, host Dr. Christina Madison interviews the co-CEOs of Healthcare Advocate Summit Melissa Paige, BPHM, CPhT, MTM, president of National Association of Medication Access & Patient Advocacy (NAMAPA), and Elizabeth Johnson, CEO of MedicoCX, and president and co-founder of NAMAPA on Healthcare Advocate Summit and its mission. They describe how collaboration, education, and advocacy can go a long way in improving access to medications and health care.

Medication Access: Medication access is a complex, systemic issue. The high cost of medication is a significant barrier for many patients, and navigating the health care system to obtain necessary medications can be confusing and overwhelming for many patients.

Health Care Providers are Crucial in Improving Medication Access: Health care professionals can play a vital role in advocating for patients and assisting them in obtaining their prescribed medications. Understanding the complexities of medication access can empower health care providers to better support their patients.

Patient Advocacy is Essential for Driving Change: Organizations and individuals dedicated to patient advocacy can create significant impact by raising awareness, lobbying for policy changes, and providing support to patients. Sharing personal stories can be a powerful tool for driving change in health care disparities.

Collaboration and Education are Key: Partnerships between health care providers, patient advocacy groups, and policymakers are essential for addressing the medication access crisis. Educating patients, health care providers, and the public about medication access issues is crucial for creating lasting change.