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Shingles on the Rise

December 9, 2016 By

Shingles on the Rise

Shingles is increasing in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and health experts are not quite sure why.
A recent retrospective study of 2,848,765 Medicare claims showed the incidence of shingles increased 39 percent from 1992 to 2010.
About Shingles
shingles_frankmagliochettireportNearly a third people in the U.S. will develop shingles, otherwise known as herpes zoster or simply “zoster,” during their lifetime. While most people who get shingles will develop it only once but some get the disease two or three times. The risk of shingles increases with age, especially after the age of 50. Children can get shingles, but it is uncommon.
Signs and symptoms of shingles include pain, itching, or tingling of skin just before the development of a painful rash of blister-like sores. Symptoms typically develop on one side of the body, often on the face or torso. Fever, headache, chills, and upset stomach may occur. Severe pain in the affected area, known as postherpatic neuralgia (PHN), is the most common symptom of shingles.
Shingles develops as the result of exposure to the varicella zoster virus (VZV), which is the same virus that causes varicella disease, also known as chickenpox. The virus remains dormant sensory ganglia after the individual recovers from varicella; the virus can reactivate to cause shingles years later.
Are Chickenpox Vaccinations Accelerating the Increase of Shingles?
Researchers are still working to understand why the virus reactivates. It appears that an individual’s risk for shingles increases as immunity to VZV declines, as happens with aging or with the development of immunodeficiency associated with certain illnesses or treatments.
Some research suggests that exposure to varicella disease can actually boost immunity to VZV and reduce the risk for reactivation as shingles. Other research does not show this effect and the results “reflects the uncertain influence of varicella circulation on zoster epidemiology.”
Rates of chickenpox fell dramatically in the years following the implementation of the childhood varicella vaccination program in 1996, leading some scientists to speculate that the rise in shingles in adults was the result of childhood vaccination against varicella. These researchers reasoned that adults exposed to children with the virus would build immunity against varicella, and that widespread vaccination of children would provide fewer opportunities for adult exposure.
Results from a recent CDC study seem to disprove this theory. Researchers in that study used Medicare data from 1992 to 2010 and found that shingles rates shingles_frankmagliochetti-reportwere rising even before the introduction of the varicella vaccine in 1996. Furthermore, zoster rates did not accelerate after the introduction of the program.
The researchers in the CDC study also looked for any link between state varicella vaccination coverage and zoster rates, and found that the rates of shingles did not accelerate as states increased vaccination coverage. In fact, the incidence of shingles was the same in states with high vaccination coverage as it was in states with low coverage.
Furthermore, countries without routine varicella vaccination programs are experiencing similar increases in shingles rates in adults.
Like the wild-type virus that occurs in nature, the attenuated vaccine virus can reactivate to cause shingles. Children who get the varicella vaccine appear to have a much lower risk for childhood shingles than children infected with the wild-type virus. Vaccinated children are also less likely to be infected with the wild-type virus, which is more likely to reactivate as shingles as compared to the weakened vaccine virus.
While scientists have yet to discover the reasons behind the increased incidence of shingles, it is clear that zoster vaccination can prevent many cases of shingles, both in adults and in children.

Source
http://www.cdc.gov/shingles/surveillance.html
http://annals.org/aim/article/1784289/examination-links-between-herpes-zoster-incidence-childhood-varicella-vaccination
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12057605
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2866606/
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00039897.htm
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21217180

Frank Magliochetti is Managing Partner for Parcae Capital.

  • North Andover, Massachusetts

This column of posts is directed at the Healthcare Industry.  Frank plans to release a new site dedicated to the industry.  He currently assists companies who are building, restructuring, transforming and resurrecting there business’s. An example of his client base are, Xenetic Biosciences , IPC Medical Corp, Just Fellowship Corp, Environmental Services Inc., Parsons Post House LLC, ClickStream Corporation as well as having a business talk radio show; The Business Architect on the URBN network.

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Smoking Statistics: Focus on the Northeast

December 5, 2016 By

Smoking Statistics: Northeast USA

Cigarette smoking is still the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), claiming more than 480,000 lives each year. Despite decades of anti-smoking campaigns, which have been largely successful at reducing the number of cigarette smoking and death rates associated with the habit, smokingstatistics-frankmagliochettireportabout 36.5 million Americans still smoke. About 1 in 5 deaths in the U.S. are associated with smoking. Smoking remains high in certain segments of the population and in certain areas of the country. Many states are trying to reduce their number of smokers by raising tax on cigarettes, and investing in tobacco cessation programs and tobacco prevention programs.
Young adults, males, people with low education levels and those living below poverty level, lesbians, gays and bisexuals, the disabled and individuals of certain races or ethnicities are more likely to smoke. About 13 percent of people aged 18 to 24 smokes and 17.7 percent of people aged 25 to 44 smoke.
Smoking Rates by Geography
The percentage of smokers has declined in the U.S. from 20.9 percent in 2005 to 15.1 percent in 2015. Current cigarette smoking was highest in the Midwest at 18.7 percent and lowest in the West at 12.4 percent. About 13.5 percent of people living in the Northeast smoke cigarettes.
A fact sheet released November 2017 by Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids presents state-specific tobacco-related data in very different ways. It ranks states according to adult smoking rates, adult smoking ranks, pregnant smoking ranks and annual smoking deaths. The report also looks at youth smoking rates, the number of kidsfrankmagliochettireport_smokingstatistics alive who will become smokers, and the number of children alive who will eventually die from smoking in each state. Finally, the chart lists the health costs associated with smoking, per pack tax rates and ranks, state financing for tobacco cessation programs, and tobacco prevention spending.
Kentucky has the highest adult smoking rate in the country at 25.9 percent, and the state has a relatively high percentage of pregnant smokers and youth smokers. This high smoking rate may be the result of the state’s relatively low per-pack price of $4.86. Utah has the lowest adult smoking rate at 9.1; retail price for a pack of cigarettes here is $6.43.
There is relatively low tobacco use in the Northeast; much of the low tobacco use there has to do with the relatively high per-pack price and hefty tax rates on cigarettes. At 13.5 percent, Connecticut and New Jersey are tied as the third lowest adult smoking rates in the country. Connecticut has the second highest cigarette tax rate in the nation – $3.90 per pack. New Jersey also has a high cigarette tax at $2.70 per pack.
The average price for cigarettes in Massachusetts is $9.08 per pack and the state charges $3.90 per pack in tax, the fourth highest tax in the nation. The high price of cigarettes pays off, though, as the state has the sixth lowest rate of adults smoking and one of the lowest youth smoking rates in the country.
Northeastern states and other states in the nation may continue to reduce smoking rates – and death rates associated with smoking – by increasing taxes on cigarette products and investing in tobacco cessation and prevention programs.

Source:
https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/adult_data/cig_smoking/
https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/adult_data/cig_smoking/

Frank Magliochetti is Managing Partner for Parcae Capital.

  • North Andover, Massachusetts

This column of posts is directed at the Healthcare Industry.  Frank plans to release a new site dedicated to the industry.  He currently assists companies who are building, restructuring, transforming and resurrecting there business’s. An example of his client base are, Xenetic Biosciences , IPC Medical Corp, Just Fellowship Corp, Environmental Services Inc., Parsons Post House LLC, ClickStream Corporation as well as having a business talk radio show; The Business Architect on the URBN network.

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Top Prescription Drugs Purchases and Trends of 2016

December 2, 2016 By Leave a Comment

Top Prescription Drugs Purchases and Trends of 2016

Nearly half of all Americans take at least one prescription drug each day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the cost of many of the most popular and most important medications is rising.
risingprescriptioncosts_frankmagliochettiThe Price for Prescription Drugs is Rising
Each of the past three years have seen double-digit price increases, including average rises of 12.6 percent in 2014 and over 10 percent in 2015. The average price for prescription drugs has increased an average of 10 percent in the past year. Despite pushback from insurers, scrutiny from lawmakers and outcry from consumers, many pharmaceutical companies plan to increase the price of prescription drugs.
Prescription drug spending in the United States totaled about $457 billion in 2015, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), accounting for 16.7 percent of all U.S. health care spending. In the 1990s, only about 7 percent of health care spending went towards prescription drugs.
A Wall Street Journal analysis found that prices for 30 prescription drugs increased at eight times the rate of inflation, with an average price hike of 76 percent from 2010 to 2014. Retail prices for some commonly used prescription drugs increased faster than general inflation each year from 2006 to 2013, according to AARP, which translates into an annual cost of therapy of more than $11,000 for a consumer who takes a prescription medication regularly. The total was nearly three-quarters of the average Social Security retirement benefit of $15,526, almost half the median income of a person on Medicare, and nearly one-fifth of the median U.S. household income.
Most Common Prescriptions and Average Cost by State
SearchRx compiled a list of the average costs of prescription drugs by state. At an average price of $12.82 per prescription, Mississippi tops the list as the US state with the lowest average per prescription cost. Arkansas was also low at $12.93, followed by Virginia at $13.90 and Louisiana at $13.10. Hawaii was the most expensive state to fill a prescription, at an average of $19.47, followed by North Dakota at $19.07, Alaska at $18.96 per prescription, and Delaware at $18.51.

The website also lists the most commonly prescribed medications last year:
1. Atorvastatin Calcium (generic for Lipitor) – lowers cholesterol and reduces risk of heart attack, stroke, and other complications in patients with type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, or other risk factors
2. Levothyroxine (generic for Synthroid) – primary use is for the treatment of hypothyroidism but it is also used to treat or prevent goiter
3. Lisinopril (generic for Prinivil) – for hypertension or congestive heart failure
4. Omeprazole (generic for Prilosec) – treats symptoms of GERD
5. Metformin (generic for Glucophage) – improves blood sugar in patients with type 2 diabetes
6. Amlodipine (generic for Norvasc) – for hypertension or anginafrank-magliochetti-report-drug-pricing
7. Simvastatin (generic for Zocor) – lowers cholesterol and triglycerides
8. Hydrocodone/Acetaminophen (generic for Lortab) – relieves moderate to moderately severe pain
9. Metoprolol ER (generic for Toprol XL) – treats angina and hypertension
10. Losartan (generic for Cozaar) – treats hypertension and reduces the risk of stroke in those with heart disease
SearchRx also ranked pharmacy chains in order of least expensive to most expensive. Walmart was the least expensive, followed by Target, “other,” Rite Aid, and CVS. Walgreens was the most expensive on the list.
If current trends continue, 2017 will see higher prescription prices, increased health premiums, and continued increases in the number of Americans who take prescription drugs every day.
Source
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/drug-use-therapeutic.htm

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2016/01/11/prescription-drug-prices-jumped-more-than-10-percent-in-2015/

http://time.com/money/4406167/prescription-drug-prices-increase-why/

https://aspe.hhs.gov/pdf-report/observations-trends-prescription-drug-spending

http://www.wsj.com/articles/for-prescription-drug-makers-price-increases-drive-revenue-1444096750

http://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarp/ppi/2016-02/RX-Price-Watch-Trends-in-Retail-Prices-Prescription-Drugs-Widely-Used-by-Older-Americans.pdf

https://www.searchrx.com/blog/2016-prescription-prices-and-purchase-trends/

Frank Magliochetti is Managing Partner for Parcae Capital.

  • North Andover, Massachusetts

This column of posts is directed at the Healthcare Industry.  Frank plans to release a new site dedicated to the industry.  He currently assists companies who are building, restructuring, transforming and resurrecting there business’s. An example of his client base are, Xenetic Biosciences , IPC Medical Corp, Just Fellowship Corp, Environmental Services Inc., Parsons Post House LLC, ClickStream Corporation as well as having a business talk radio show; The Business Architect on the URBN network.

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Filed Under: Featured, Frank Magliochetti Report, Healthcare Industry, Healthcare Industry News, Healthcare Trends, Medical Drugs, News Tagged With: , , ,

Medical 3D Printing Advancements

November 29, 2016 By 14 Comments

Advancements in Medical 3D Printing

Three-dimensional (3D) printing has been around since the 1980s, when Chuck Hull patented the mechanical process of printing successive layers of material to create objects. Known as stereolithography or additive manufacturing, the process quickly spread beyond industry into a number of sectors, including medicine.
3d-printing-and-health_frankmagliochettireportA 3D printer is similar to a standard computer printer except that, instead of ink, liquid plastic, metal, polyvinyl alcohol, and other materials flow through its print nozzles. 3D printers are unique in that the process can create three-dimensional solid-state objects made from a variety of materials. Printed objects can be as simple or as intricate as needed by the designer without requiring extra steps in the manufacturing process.
In 1999, surgeons grew a human bladder by layering human bladder cells onto 3D printed scaffold then later transplanted the bladder into the patient that donated the cells. In 2002, scientists used bio-ink replicating kidney tissue to print a functioning kidney.
There have been several major advancements since the earliest days of medical 3D printing. While it is still not possible to print out an entire organ suitable for transplant, it is possible to use three-dimensional printing to create scaffold for growing organs, grow tissues for laboratory testing, make skin grafts for burn victims, print sheets of cardiac tissue that beats like a heart, and more.
State of the Art Medical 3D Printing
Scientists from Harvard University recently made the first 3D printed organ-on-a-chip with integrated sensing, which allows researchers to collect reliable data during laboratory studies. These organs-on-chips, also known as medical-3d-printing_frankmagliochettireportmicrophysiological systems, closely match the properties of a specific disease or individual patient cells suitable for use in the laboratory. These chips simplify data acquisition and allow researchers to change and customize the study design system, opening new avenues for in vitro tissue engineering, toxicology and drug screening research.
Other researchers use direct laser writing to shape and form 3D printed undifferentiated stem cells to create complex 3D structures for various biomedical applications. Another company recently released a realistic-feeling 3D printed arm modelstudents can use to learn how to suture skin. The company, San Draw, had previously released a 3D printed arm model suitable for practicing injections. The 3D printed skin simulates the anatomy and feel of real human skin to improve student training.
3D printing presents nearly unlimited potential in the production of surgical instruments, including forceps, hemostats, scalpel handles, clamps, and even surgical smoke evacuators. 3D printed surgical tools come out of the 3d-printing_medical-frankmagliochettireportprinter completely sterile and ready to use, saving both time and money in sterilization, packaging and storage. Printed tools also cost one-tenth as much as stainless steel tools. 3D printing could therefore boost surgery access in low-income areas and reduce the risk of infection in areas with limited access to sterilizers.
Researchers can print out and expose various body tissues to chemicals and other substances to study the reaction of toxins on healthy tissue. Now scientists can print out cancer cells and other types of disease cells to study how tumors grow and develop, and to evaluate the effects of various treatments on those printed cells.
Research and development of medical 3D printing will likely accelerate as scientists find new uses for the additive manufacturing process and manufacturers learn new techniques for making medical and surgical products. 3D printers will certainly become more commonplace in the surgical suite and in laboratories in the coming years.

Source
https://3dprintingindustry.com/3d-printing-basics-free-beginners-guide/history/
http://www.nature.com/nmat/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nmat4782.html
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309393081_3D_microfabrication_of_complex_structures_for_biomedical_applications_via_combination_of_subtractiveadditive_direct_laser_writing_and_3D_printing
https://3dprint.com/152558/san-draw-medical-suture-training/
https://3dprint.com/6652/3d-print-medical-tools/

Frank Magliochetti is Managing Partner for Parcae Capital.

  • North Andover, Massachusetts

This column of posts is directed at the Healthcare Industry.  Frank plans to release a new site dedicated to the industry.  He currently assists companies who are building, restructuring, transforming and resurrecting there business’s. An example of his client base are, Xenetic Biosciences , IPC Medical Corp, Just Fellowship Corp, Environmental Services Inc., Parsons Post House LLC, ClickStream Corporation as well as having a business talk radio show; The Business Architect on the URBN network.

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Filed Under: Featured, Frank Magliochetti Report, Healthcare Industry, Healthcare Industry News, Healthcare Innovations, News Tagged With: , ,

Augmented Reality: A Disruptive Trend that is Changing Healthcare

November 23, 2016 By

Augmented Reality: A Disruptive Trend that is Changing Healthcare

Google Glass and other types of augmented reality (AR) never really took hold in the consumer market but the advanced technology is now poised to be a disruptive trend that will forever change healthcare for patients and providers.frankmagliochettireport_medicalaugmentedreality
A Q4 2016 report by ABI Research suggests augmented reality will gain momentum as medical professionals seek out new tools and technologies to improve care and outcome for their patients. The research firm suggests regulatory activity will push the medical profession towards AR.

About Augmented Reality in Medicine

Augmented reality is a live view of a real-world environment supplemented with computer-generated sounds, graphics or other sensory input. Unlike virtual reality, which entirely replaces the real world with a simulated one, augmented reality replaces only certain elements.
AR can include “see what I see” applications, education and training. “See what I see” apps can transmit what EMTs see to emergency department physicians. In medical applications, augmented reality applications can simulate how it would feel to have certain medical conditions.
frankmagliochetti_augmentedrealityinmedicineAR applications (apps) can help patients check visual symptoms against a medical database or share information in real time with their doctors. Patients with hearing problems can use AR apps and their smart phones to convert auditory information, such as the screech of brakes or a loudspeaker announcement on an airplane, into text displayed on the smart phone. AR apps can highlight maps of wheelchair-friendly routes when an individual visits a city for the first time.
Augmented reality can provide medical training to a large number of students, even those living in remote or impoverished areas. Students use AR to practice surgical techniques, or even allow experienced surgeons to practice procedures on a three-dimensional AR rending of a patient before performing the procedure on the actual patient.

Augmented Reality Applications are Already in Use

Eye Decide by OrcaMD is an educational application that could potential improve patient compliance. This education tool simplifies complex eye conditions and treatments in a way that improves knowledge, understanding and retention. Users can view the eyeball from any angle, with and without skin. Eye Decide also demonstrates the effects of cataracts, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and other eye conditions, so that patients can see what a particular disease will eventually do to their vision without proper treatment.
AccuVein displays a map of a patient’s vein to make placing needles easier and more accurate. The healthcare practitioner uses a handheld scanner that detects heat radiating from the veins, converts information gathered about that heat into a map of the veins, and then projects this map onto the patient’s skin. AccuVein enjoys a 40 percent annual growth rate. By the middle of 2015, this augmented reality app had already helped more frankmagliochetti_report-augment-reality-healthcarethan 10 million patients. Sales will likely continue at a robust pace as patients and nurses demand the technology to reduce the average number of “sticks” involved in placing an intravenous (IV) needle.
Many legally blind people still have some vision but cannot see well enough to recognize faces, drive, read, or avoid obstacles in their path. VA-ST is a visor that combines a 3D camera with a computer to enhance vision by improving contrast, and highlighting edges and features. Users can even pause or zoom video for a clearer view. This technology will become more popular as the population of the United States ages and suffers age-related vision loss.
Like other industries, medicine leverages new technology to improve efficiencies and performance. The move from a per-service reimbursement structure towards one that focuses on quality of care will spur growth of augmented reality in medical settings.

Source
https://www.abiresearch.com/market-research/product/1025909-ar-in-telemedicine-training-and-first-resp/
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/eye-decide-education-engagement/id454280553?mt=8
https://orcahealth.com/
http://www.accuvein.com/inf/
http://www.accuvein.com/2015/06/vein-visualization-emerges-as-premier-augmented-reality-application/
http://www.va-st.com/smart-specs/

Frank Magliochetti is Managing Partner for Parcae Capital.

  • North Andover, Massachusetts

This column of posts is directed at the Healthcare Industry.  Frank plans to release a new site dedicated to the industry.  He currently assists companies who are building, restructuring, transforming and resurrecting there business’s. An example of his client base are, Xenetic Biosciences , IPC Medical Corp, Just Fellowship Corp, Environmental Services Inc., Parsons Post House LLC, ClickStream Corporation as well as having a business talk radio show; The Business Architect on the URBN network.

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Filed Under: Featured, Frank Magliochetti Report, Healthcare Industry, Healthcare Industry News, Healthcare Innovations, Healthcare Trends, News Tagged With: , , , ,

Tdap Lead to Increased Trend in HPV Vaccines

November 18, 2016 By

Requiring Tdap May Increase HPV Vaccination in Adolescent Girls

About 9 in 10 people will get a human papillomavirus (HPV) infection at some point in their lives, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). HPV infections are associated with health problems, including several types of cancer in men and women, which means HPV infection is an urgent health problem. A new study shows that teenage girls were more likely to start the HPV vaccine series in states where schools required the meningococcal vaccine and/or the tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) booster prior to admission.
frankmagliochetti_tdap-vaccineNationwide, 63 percent of girls have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and half of all boys have started the series. Low HPV vaccination coverage is an urgent public health problem and improving HPV vaccination rates will save lives. The nation’s high Tdap vaccination rate of 86 percent shows that high HPV vaccination coverage is possible.
Most cervical cancers, anal carcinomas, and oropharyngeal cancers are the result of infection with high-risk HPV strains. While vaccines capable of preventing HPV related cancers are available, low usage limits their utility.
Previous attempts at improving HPV vaccination included state laws requiring the vaccine, but many of these laws allowed for exemptions for any reason. Because parents could opt out for nearly any reason, these state laws have been largely ineffective at increasing HPV vaccination coverage.
Improving HPV Vaccination Coverage by Vaccinating Against Other Diseases
To identify policies that could improve suboptimal HPV vaccination rates, the authors of the study sought to evaluate the relationship between adolescent vaccination and states’ school entry requirements. In the study, published in the medical journal Pediatrics, researchers compared HPV vaccination coverage in teenage girls aged 13 to 17 years across states with different vaccination requirements for school entry.
The authors gathered information from published data regarding school entry requirements from the Immunization Action Coalition (2007-2012) and vaccination rates from the National Immunization Survey-Teen (NIS-Teen, 2008-2012). They analyzed Tdap booster and meningococcal vaccination rates and evaluated the possibility of increasing HPV vaccination rates by “spillover effect,” meaning schools that require vaccinations as a condition of attendance could have higher rates of HPV vaccination.

The Results

The researchers found that requiring vaccination for admission to school did indeed improve vaccination rates for HPV. Vaccination requirements also boostedfrankmagliochettireport__hpv_vaccine coverage for Tdap and meningococcal vaccinations.
Compared with other states, those states with Tdap booster and meningococcal vaccination had a 22 and 24 percentage point increases in coverage for these vaccines, respectively. States with HPV vaccination requirements had less than 1 percentage point increase in coverage. Requiring Tdap booster and meningococcal vaccinations caused an 8 and 4 percentage point spillover increases for HPV vaccination coverage.
The study was limited in that it failed to account for confounding variables, such as religion, ethnicity, and parental education. Furthermore, the study did not account for the types of school attended, as homeschooled adolescents and teens attending private schools may not be subject to the same vaccination requirements. Despite these limitations and considering the controversy surrounding HPV legislation, utilizing the spillover effect from meningococcal and Tdap vaccination may be an effective approach to improving HPV vaccination coverage.

SOURCE:

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/vaccines/hpv-vaccine.html

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2016/11/05/peds.2016-1414?sso=1&sso_redirect_count=1&nfstatus=401&nftoken=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000&nfstatusdescription=ERROR%3a+No+local+token

http://www.cdc.gov/hpv/infographics/vacc-coverage.html

Frank Magliochetti is Managing Partner for Parcae Capital.

  • North Andover, Massachusetts

This column of posts is directed at the Healthcare Industry.  Frank plans to release a new site dedicated to the industry.  He currently assists companies who are building, restructuring, transforming and resurrecting there business’s. An example of his client base are, Xenetic Biosciences , IPC Medical Corp, Just Fellowship Corp, Environmental Services Inc., Parsons Post House LLC, ClickStream Corporation as well as having a business talk radio show; The Business Architect on the URBN network.

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Filed Under: Featured, Frank Magliochetti Report, Healthcare Industry, Healthcare Industry News, Medical Drugs, News Tagged With: , , ,

Smart Tech: Wearable Medical Devices

November 14, 2016 By

Smart Tech:  Wearable Medical Devices 2017 – 2020

Smart technologies will continue to drive the ever-growing medical wearable device market in 2017 and well into the future.
The global medical wearable devices market topped $3.2 billion in revenue in 2015, according to Mordor Intelligence, which expects the market to surpass $7.9 billion in 2020 as the industry continues to grow at a healthy CAGR of 19.8 percent during that period.
wearablemedicaldevices_frank-magliochetti-reportWearable medical devices, known simply as “wearables,” are small pieces of equipment featuring sensors that attach to the body. These sensors detect and monitor changes in specific body signatures produced by various body systems and organs. Early wearable technology allowed consumers to monitor vital signs. Today’s wearables allow users to monitor food intake, activity, and sleep levels. Tomorrow’s devices may provide continuous monitoring of glucose levels, smart clothing for infants, and smart EKG necklaces for those with heart problems.
Wearables have the potential to fill a number of applications in remote patient monitoring, sports and fitness monitoring, and home healthcare. Simplified usage of these devices, coupled with the ability to synchronize with smartphones and tables, assisted growth in this segment.
Global Wearable Devices Market- Market Dynamics

There are immense potential socio-economics of wearable medical devices for multiple sectors. Fitness devices that encourage the users to exercise can significantly reduce healthcare costs, for example.

Investors are focusing on a wide variety of projects, ranging from downloadable apps to improving the size, cost and sensitivity of sensors.wearablemedicaldevices_frankmagliochettireport

Several factors propel the growth of the global wearable market. Technological innovation is perhaps the most important factor, as these advancements lead to the introduction of new products.
Diabetes and other chronic diseases are rising at a seemingly uncontrollable rate. Wearable devices will play an increasingly important role in helping doctors and patients manage chronic diseases.

Developers make wearable devices easier to use and simplify interpretation of the data collected. Simplicity encourages use.
Market penetration of smartphones, smart watches and other wearable devices will promote the use of wearable medical technology. These devices have already penetrated the market deeply, with the worldwide smart watch shipments reaching about 25 million in 2015.

Some factors, such as reimbursement issues and high device cost, will restrain the medical wearables market somewhat but the effect should be minimal, as demand should remain high.
Several companies are already exploiting the growing interest in medical wearable technology by creating affordable products that offer high value to users and their healthcare partners.

Some of the key players already operating in the medical wearable device market include:
• Dräger
• Fitbit Inc.
• Intelesens Ltd.
• Lifewatch AG
• Omron Corporation
• Polar Electro
• Philips Electronics
• Withings SAS
These wearable manufacturers will likely improve hardware in existing products and create sturdier devices within the next few years. Hardware and device ifrankmagliochettireport_wearable-medical-devicesnnovations may include larger and easier to read displays, extended battery life, waterproof hardware, and compatibility with GPS and other sensors included in a standard smart phone. Software innovations may include advanced monitoring systems and improved patient care software, such as breathing exercises and on-demand nutrition counseling.
The wearable market is expanding because the devices are autonomous, which makes them easy to use, and non-invasive. It is also growing because of its ability to help prevent and manage chronic diseases.

Source
https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/global-wearable-medical-device-market-industry

Frank Magliochetti is Managing Partner for Parcae Capital.

  • North Andover, Massachusetts

This column of posts is directed at the Healthcare Industry.  Frank plans to release a new site dedicated to the industry.  He currently assists companies who are building, restructuring, transforming and resurrecting there business’s. An example of his client base are, Xenetic Biosciences , IPC Medical Corp, Just Fellowship Corp, Environmental Services Inc., Parsons Post House LLC, ClickStream Corporation as well as having a business talk radio show; The Business Architect on the URBN network.

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Filed Under: Featured, Frank Magliochetti Report, Healthcare Industry, Healthcare Industry News, Healthcare Innovations, Healthcare Trends, News Tagged With: , , , , ,

2017 Trends in Cancer Care Drugs

November 8, 2016 By

2017 Trends in Cancer Care Drugs

Frank Magliochetti Report

Cancer drug development will continue to be a key focus area in 2017. While the number of new cancer frank-magliochettireport_2017_cancer-stopcases in the United States each year remains constant at about 1.7 million, the American Cancer Society says that the cancer death rate has plummeted 23 percent since the early 1990s. This is largely due to improved diagnostics, early detection, and new medications and treatments.
There has been extensive development of cancer medications in the past decade, and the development of oncology drugs will continue to be a key focus area in 2017. There are several important factors affecting cancer drug development in the upcoming year, including a large number of clinical trials already underway, the possibility of shortened regulatory approval time, and increases to consumer cost.

Cancer Drug Development

Extensive development of cancer medications is already underway, and much of this development will continue into 2017. New medicines, just launched within the past five years, now treat more than 20 types of tumors, according to a new report from IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics. In fact, there were 70 new oncology treatments for more than 20 uses launched from 2011 to 2015. Further research of these new agents will likely result in approval for subsequent indications and provide therapeutic options to more patients.2017_cancertrends_frankmagliochetti
While there is substantial opportunity in the cancer drug industry, there will also be stiff competition in 2017. More than 500 companies are actively engaged in developing oncology drugs. Collectively, these companies are pursuing nearly 600 indications, primarily for non-small cell lung cancer, breast, prostate, ovarian and colorectal cancers.
This giant and diverse group of pharma companies has created a healthy pipeline of oncology drugs in clinical development. In fact, the pipeline of cancer drugs in clinical development has grown more than 60 percent over the past ten years.
Nearly 90 percent of these drugs are targeted agents, and the trend towards targeted agents will likely continue. There are more than 120 clinical development project underway for targeted agents to treat non-small cell lung cancer and melanoma, for example, and each features different mechanisms and combinations that promise new benefits.
It is taking less time for new cancer treatments to receive regulatory approval. The median time from patent filing to approval for cancer drugs in the U.S. dropped from 10.25 years in 2013 to 9.5 years in 2015. Initiatives such as the FDA Breakthrough Therapy designation expedite development and review of drugs that treat serious or life-threatening diseases or conditions.

Patient Costs may Rise

In campaign speeches, the new President-elect of the United States has promised changes to the Affordable Care Act, and these changes may increase patient costs. Average treatment costs for a year of cancer care for patients with commercial insurance plans rose 19 percent to $58,097 in 2014.  Cost increases in 2017 may depend on where the patient receives care. Outpatient services account for more than half of the total costs, according to the IMS report, and the average combined total cost of all  drugs used by the patient accounts for 28 percent of the total cost of care.
Average costs for administering cancer drugs are usually twice as high when patients receive treatment in hospital outpatient settings than when they receive care in physician offices. Higher costs for outpatient care increases patient cost responsibility. Coupons and other forms of assistance may offset the cost to consumers.

Source

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.3322/caac.21332/abstract
https://morningconsult.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/IMS-Institute-Global-Oncology-Report-05.31.16.pdf

Frank Magliochetti is Managing Partner for Parcae Capital.

  • North Andover, Massachusetts

This column of posts is directed at the Healthcare Industry.  Frank plans to release a new site dedicated to the industry.  He currently assists companies who are building, restructuring, transforming and resurrecting there business’s. An example of his client base are, Xenetic Biosciences , IPC Medical Corp, Just Fellowship Corp, Environmental Services Inc., Parsons Post House LLC, ClickStream Corporation as well as having a business talk radio show; The Business Architect on the URBN network.

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Filed Under: Featured, Frank Magliochetti Report, Healthcare Industry, Healthcare Industry News, Healthcare Trends, News Tagged With: , , , ,

Pharmaceutical Trends for 2017: Biosimilars

November 3, 2016 By

Pharma Trends 2017:  Biosimilars

Frank Magliochetti Report

The FDA approved 56 new drugs in 2015 and, of these, 33 were specialty drugs and 23 were traditional. One was a biosimilar. Development, approval and acceptance of biosimilars may become an important trend in 2017.
The FDA is approving more specialty drugs than ever before and specialty medicines will likely face more competition in 2017. Increased FDA approval and frankmagliochetti-report-pharma-trends-biosimilarsdiscoveries of medications to treat orphan conditions and cancer will fuel competition. Biosimilars could overcome development hurdles and increase this competition even more.
Acceptance of biosimilars has been slow in the past. One of the reasons for the reluctance is that the development of biosimilars is different from that of generic drugs. Generic drugs for small molecules have a relative simple chemical structure that makes it easy to reproduce an identical chemical. It is more difficult to make a protein or peptide identical to the original biologic agent because of differences in the sugar residues attached to the protein, for example, or differences in the protein folding that make it unpredictable. This means that, even though a biosimilar has an identical peptide chain, it may not have an identical effect. These factors complicate the process of making biosimilars and increase the risk for problems.
Physician acceptance has been slow too but, as the cost of other medications rise, biosimilars will seem more attractive.
Approval of Biosimilars in 2015 and 2016
Biosimilars, which are products the FDA will approve with evidence that the medication up for approval is highly similar to an already-approved reference product, will probably continue to gain traction in 2017. The FDA has approved four biosimilars as of October 2016.
Zarxio is similar to Neupogen, according to an article published by Managed Healthcare Executive, except the biosimilar has a 15 percent lower list price. Both drugs treat low white blood cell counts associated with cancer and its treatment. The FDA approvedZarxio, made by Sandoz, in March 2015.
Inflectra is similar to Remicade to treat Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. The FDA approved Inflectra in April 2016 but, due to litigation, the launch date is uncertain.
Erelzi, also made by Sandoz, is similar to Enbrel to treat arthritis. The FDA announced approval of Erelzi in August of 2016 and the expected launch date of biosimilar-frankmagliochetti-pharma-trends-2017February 2017 may be delayed.
Amjevita, by Amgen is similar to Humira and is for the treatment multiple inflammatory diseases. Amjevita became the fourth biosimilar drug to gain approval in September 2016. Launch date is set for March 2017 but may experience delays.
There are several biosimilars awaiting approval, including:
• Filgrastim by Grastofil, Apotex
• Pegfilgrastim by Apotex
• SB2 infliximab by Merck/Samsung Bioepis
• CHS‐1701 by Coherus Biosciences
• Epoetin alfa by Retacrit, Pfizer
The need for biosimilars will grow as the need for other drugs, especially cancer drugs and orphan drugs, increases. Doctors diagnose about 1.7 million cases of cancer each year, yet the death rate has fallen 23 percent since the early 1990s, partially due to new medications and treatments. The introduction of biosimilars could reduce cancer death rates even further.
Biosimilars may become one of the strongest trends in the pharmaceutical industry in upcoming years, as biosimilars have the potential to lower the cost for safe and effective treatments for a wider number of patients. Increased development of biosimilar cancer drugs is possible as some biopharmaceuticals lose patent protection.

Source
https://www.uspharmacist.com/article/record-number-of-fda-new-drug-approvals-in-2015
http://www.zarxio.com/index.jsp
http://managedhealthcareexecutive.modernmedicine.com/managed-healthcare-executive/news/five-specialty-pharmaceutical-trends-watch
http://www.fda.gov/newsevents/newsroom/pressannouncements/ucm436648.htm
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm494227.htm
http://www.erelzi.com/
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm518639.htm
http://pi.amgen.com/united_states/AMJEVITA/AMJEVITA_mg.pdf
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm522243.htm

Frank Magliochetti is Managing Partner for Parcae Capital.

  • North Andover, Massachusetts

This column of posts is directed at the Healthcare Industry.  Frank plans to release a new site dedicated to the industry.  He currently assists companies who are building, restructuring, transforming and resurrecting there business’s. An example of his client base are, Xenetic Biosciences , IPC Medical Corp, Just Fellowship Corp, Environmental Services Inc., Parsons Post House LLC, ClickStream Corporation as well as having a business talk radio show; The Business Architect on the URBN network.

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Filed Under: Featured, Frank Magliochetti Report, Healthcare Industry, Healthcare Industry News, Healthcare Innovations, Healthcare Trends, Medical Drugs, News Tagged With: , , , , ,

Genome Editing – Progressing Trend

October 31, 2016 By

The Rush for Genome Editing

Frank Magliochetti Report

The Rush for Genome Editing

Gene-editing technology has sparked a frenzy of competitors fueled to develop the first of what may be thousands of treatments for genetic disorders.

From science fiction of movies like Jurassic Park to the reality of GMO foods, the concept of customizing plants, animals and even human genomes has mesmerized our imagination and culture for decades. This obsession is not surprising considering the remarkable impact of genetic engineering on our lives, and the promise it may hold for our future.crispr-genome-editing-franlmagliochetti-report_northandoverma

Modifying the genes of an organism is no easy task. It’s not as simple as removing the parts you do not like with an eraser. It involves making changes at a molecular level that are both complex and challenging.

One concern among scientists is the modifications made in human germline cells – i.e. the sperm or the egg. These are genetic changes that would actually be passed on through generations and the fear is that there could be unexpected side effects. Couple that with the ethical concerns of people misusing this technology to intentionally modify the genome to make “designer babies” with enhanced characteristics. These are some real concerns that are causing scientists to pause and weigh the pros and cons of use of this technology.

More and more companies are racing to stay ahead of the trend and become the leaders in the field.

In Cambridge MA, Intellia Therapeutics Inc. has a 65,000 square foot build out underway, however, it is still planning to functioning while under construction.

Intellia is one of a trio of startups in the Cambridge area working locally in the biotech niche known as CRISPR-Cas9. The gene-editing technology was frank-magliochetti-report_intelliadiscovered just four years ago.

Drug development historically has been a slow process – it often takes more than a decade to bring a medicine from lab to marketplace. But that’s changing, thanks to new machines that can screen drug targets faster and an entrepreneurial environment that’s more akin to high-tech than Big Pharma.frankmagliochettireport_genome_editing

Intellia has high-profile collaboration deals with Swiss drug giant Novartis AG and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. of Tarrytown, N.Y. It raised $108 million in an initial public offering in May. Their scientists are working on gene-editing treatments for everything including the hepatitis B virus to a rare form of blindness. If all goes well, it could move its earliest drug candidates into clinical trials within 18 to 24 months.

Competitors for Intellia include Editas Medicine and Crispr Therapeutics Inc. both completed their own IPOs this year. There are more to come: all with the heightened interest of investors. These companies are in a race to develop the first treatment based on gene editing.

Genome editing is going to be a hot trend to watch in 2017 and for many years to come.

Frank Magliochetti is Managing Partner for Parcae Capital.

  • North Andover, Massachusetts

This column of posts is directed at the Healthcare Industry.  Frank plans to release a new site dedicated to the industry.  He currently assists companies who are building, restructuring, transforming and resurrecting there business’s. An example of his client base are, Xenetic Biosciences , IPC Medical Corp, Just Fellowship Corp, Environmental Services Inc., Parsons Post House LLC, ClickStream Corporation as well as having a business talk radio show; The Business Architect on the URBN network.

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Filed Under: Featured, Frank Magliochetti Report, Healthcare Industry News, Healthcare Innovations, Healthcare Trends, News Tagged With: , , , ,
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