American Society of Hematology (ASH) 2020 Annual Meeting

 this week showed the long-term benefit of voxelotor (Oxbryta) for the treatment of vaso-occlusive incidences over 72 weeks in patients with sickle cell disease.

The phase 3 HOPE Study builds upon a set foundation for the Global Blood Therapeutics (GBT) once-daily oral therapy originally approved for the treatment of sickle cell disease in 2019, establishing a long-term portfolio in real-world patients for a litany of disease factors.

Patients administered 1500 mg voxelotor reported sustained improvements to their hemoglobin levels and hemolysis metrics over the observed period, supporting the use of the agent for overall sickle anemia and hemolysis reduction. The findings even indicate the potential for reduced morbidity and mortality of sickle cell disease via the deoxygenated sickle hemoglobin polymerization inhibitor.

 spoke with HOPE Study presenter Elliott Vichinski, MD, Chief of Hematology/Oncology at the University of California-San Francisco Benioff Children’s Hospital.

Vichinsky discussed the newest HOPE findings, the clinical history of sickle cell disease, and what may come next for the burgeoning portfolio of voxelotor.

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Podcasts

The UCSF hematologist discusses the growing portfolio for the sickle cell therapy after ASH 2020.

Elliott Vichinsky, MD: Voxelotor and New HOPE Data for Sickle Cell

In a year that’s seen clinical research and discussion overwhelmingly pull toward the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, it’s hard to put back into perspective the importance of other issues in respiratory medicine.

chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

 remains among the deadliest chronic diseases in the US—a condition which for years has been unmet by disease-modifying therapy or any preceding breakthroughs thereof.

But there have been wins—in this, the year of COVID-19, even—to account in the fight to mitigate COPD burden.

In this year’s final episode of Lungcast, host Al Rizzo, MD, chief medical officer of the American Lung Association, speaks with MeiLan Han, MD, professor of internal medicine in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Michigan Health System, director of the Michigan Airways Program, and ALA Scientific Advisory Committee member, on everything COPD.

From her own start in chronic respiratory disease research, to chronic tomography (CT) scan utility in disease phenotyping, to some of the agents that may prove to be the breakthrough class of COPD treatment, Han details decades of work which has reached this fascinating inflection point in COPD care.

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The last episode of 2020 caps advances and ongoing research into the most burdensome chronic respiratory disease in the US.

COPD Check-In with Dr. MeiLan Han

The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) 2020 Conference begins this weekend. Ophthalmologists from all over the world will connect digitally to present research, exchange ideas, and share experiences. The agenda boasts robust offerings of scientific posters, live sessions, symposiums, and lectures. Topics ranging from glaucoma, to age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and even emerging AIs, among others, will be covered.

The packed agenda only proves that ophthalmologists are eager to engage with their peers and immerse themselves in the buzz around their specialty. This weekend, 

® will be covering the latest news coming out of AAO — coverage will feature late-breaking research as well as interviews with presenting doctors. 

To help kick off the busy weekend, Edmund Tsui, MD, a uveitis specialist at UCLA and social media editor for the AAO Journal, joined 

 for a discussion about what to expect in AAO 2020 as well as the significance of the virtual platform. He talked about a few of the studies that have caught his interest and how he plans to engage with the on-demand and live content. 

Edmund Tsui, MD, talks the new AAO 2020 virtual format as well as presentations that have particularly caught his attention.

Edmund Tsui, MD: A Discussion on AAO 2020 Virtual

 certainly does not fall short in its breadth and depth of topics.

It goes without saying that many of the conditions faced by adults can impact children just the same. A pediatric dermatologist may have to deal with conditions like atopic dermatitis, molluscum and warts, tinea capitis, psoriasis, and hemangiomas, among others.

Of course, each issue presents its own set of challenges and may require unique approaches to treatment and management.

 host Brad Glick, DO, FAAD, Assistant Clinical Professor of Dermatology, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, talked with Lisa Swanson, MD, a board-certified pediatric dermatologist, about a variety of dermatological conditions that are common—and not-so-common—in pediatric patients.

Drawing directly from her clinical experience, Swanson provided insight into treatment strategies for a range of conditions—such as atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, and acne. She also talked about new and exciting therapies within the field of dermatology, many of which have indications extended to young patients.

“Getting the approval down to 4 or 6 or wherever it might be not only makes it easier for pediatric dermatologists to treat these kids, but I think it gives everybody a better comfort level with the medicines,” she said.

Swanson covered vast terrain in discussing the promising future of pediatric dermatology and the challenges that still remain.

Lisa Swanson, MD, and Brad Glick, DO, FAAD, discuss a wide range of dermatological conditions faced by pediatric patients—from acne to atopic dermatitis, and everything in between.

Lisa Swanson, MD: Unlocking the Pediatric Dermatology Toolbox

With November marking Lung Cancer Awareness Month, it’s a vital time to reflect on the clinical standing of the deadliest form of cancer in the US.

While advances in cancer therapy serve as a benchmark for many other fields facing challenging, progressive diseases, it’s in early detection where investigators and experts from the American Lung Association (ALA) show great strides.

The Lung Cancer Interception research team, a conglomeration of investigators from the ALA, Stand Up 2 Cancer, and LUNGevity, has dedicated years of research toward the goal of lung cancer interception—the concept of recognizing signs, risks, and symptoms of early lung cancer and carcinogenesis in a fashion that initiates care at more opportune timing.

The formalization and adoption of lung cancer interception strategies could help clinicians reach an era when they move from mostly treating cancer, to actually preventing it.

This month’s episode Lungcast features a pair of collaborative experts from the interception research team: Avrum Spira, MD, MSc, and Steven Dubinett, MD.

Spira, a Professor of Medicine, Pathology and Bioinformatics, and the Alexander Graham Bell Professor in Health Care Entrepreneurship at Boston University, has built a translational research program that focuses on genomic alterations associated with smoking-related lung disease, leading to a molecular test for the early detection of lung cancer that has successfully translated into the clinic.

Dubinett, director of the UCLA Clinical & Translational Science Institute, and Associate Vice Chancellor and Senior Associate Dean for Translational Research, has developed a translational research program which utilizes these laboratory-based discoveries in the translational and clinical environment.

In the first-ever dual interview episode of our monthly podcast series, Spira and Dubinett joined ALA Chief Medical Officer Albert Rizzo, MD, for a discussion on current lung cancer interception research, trends, clinical application, and future goals.

A dual-guest interview on the current leading research into advanced lung cancer screening and detection.

The Lung Cancer Interception Dream Team

According to the U.S Census Bureau, non-Hispanic whites will no longer make up the majority of the United States population by the year 2045. As such, it becomes all the more important for physicians to work to ensure that all patients—regardless of skin or race—receive the most optimal care.

There has been an increasing awareness of the burdens and challenges that people-of-color face when it comes to experiences with healthcare. These burdens may derive from social, systemic issues or actual physical complications.

, these challenges are especially poignant in issues related to skin pigmentation disorders and inflammation. These conditions can have a profound impact on mental health, patient self-esteem, and social relationships. In addition to these concerns, some of these conditions are simply incurable.

, host Brad Glick, DO, FAAD, Assistant Clinical Professor of Dermatology, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, spoke with board-certified dermatologist Seemal Desai, MD, FAAD, about the various dermatologic burdens faced by people-of-color.

Their conversation covered an array of pigmentation and inflammatory disorders, including vitiligo, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, seborrheic dermatitis, and melasma.

A world-renowned spokesperson in the area of skin of color, Dr. Desai discussed the challenges of treatment and management within people-of-color populations as well as strategies to overcome them. He also provided insight into his best practices working with people-of-color and touched on the future of care for some of these skin conditions.

In the inaugural episode of Derm Discussions, Seemal Desai, MD, joins Brad Glick, DO, for an update on dermatologic burdens in people of color.

Seemal Desai, MD, FAAD: What's New in Skin of Color?

Episode 1, "What's New in Skin of Color?"

Episode 2, "Unlocking the Pediatric Dermatology Toolbox"

Episode 3, "New and Emerging Therapies for the Management of Itch"

The field of dermatology is thriving, and 

 wants to share all the latest developments, updates, and conversations in one place.

Anyone looking for their fix on what’s hot or new in dermatology can be sure to check 

, a new monthly podcast series hosted by Brad Glick, DO, FAAD, professor of dermatology, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine.

Every episode will feature a discussion between Glick and a fellow dermatology expert on topics unique to the specialty—ranging from aesthetic dermatology to the implications and intersections of mental health, inflammatory diseases to new therapies, and much more.

Experts will offer fresh perspectives on and novel insight into the current state of dermatology.

This new series will cover it all—figuratively, of course.

 to engage clinicians and healthcare providers through its multimedia channels as well as facilitate conversation within and across specialties.

Even though this series will center around topics within dermatology, these discussions will span across various specialties and subspecialties. After all, the skin is pervasive not just in physical size but in clinical scope.

Anyone interested in being involved in or learning more about the series can reach out to Jonathan Alicea, Assistant Editor and Producer of 

The new dermatology podcast series will launch this month and will be hosted by dermatologist and professor Dr. Brad Glick. 

HCPLive® Launches Derm Discussions 

The US has reached another inflection point in the 

 pandemic. In this last week, the nation reached 200,000 deaths from the virus—far and away the most among any country—as recoil 2 weeks following Labor Day Weekend began a steady trend upward in daily new cases.

A second wave has begun within days of the fall season beginning, within weeks of schools reopening, and within a month of the upcoming flu season. It has started at a time when returns to regional lockdowns are being considered, and reception to the idea is being more challenged by the public.

After 7 months of fear, spread, debate, politicization, and mostly unanswered hope for a return to normalcy, people could use a salve. They could use a reminder about the best practices right now, and the biggest myths about the virus. They could use assurance that their efforts to reduce spread are worthwhile, that science is progressing towards a solution—that there is an endgame to COVID-19.

Who better to give that message than Anthony Fauci, MD?

 and the American Lung Association (ALA) features the longtime head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), a world-renowned immunologist and ambassador to science-informed public health practice.

In 8 months, Fauci’s decades of exemplary contribution to his field have been practically topped by his presence in national messaging regarding the pandemic, his role on the White House’s Coronavirus Task Force, and in the guided development of promising vaccine candidates.

And now, he’s sharing vital insights and perspectives into COVID-19 vaccines, SARS-CoV-2 transmission, antibody development, future pandemic preparedness, and the theology that has come to burden the country’s failed response.

“Something went wrong,” Fauci said on Lungcast. “When this is all over—which it will be, this will end—we need to look back and dissect, do a postmortem, and figure out what could we have done different to prevent such a degree of morbidity and mortality in our country.”

Get the latest lung health news, including future Lungcast topics and guests, by signing up for the ALA newsletter at Lung.org.

Fauci shares his thoughts on leading COVID-19 vaccines, SARS-CoV-2 transmission, antibody research, and where the US went wrong in pandemic response.

Up Close and Personal with Dr. Anthony Fauci

While some think it is reasonable that the 

 (HCV) could be eradicated in the next decade, it is not seen as a possibility for the hepatitis B virus (HBV).

With an estimated 257 million individuals suffering from HBV infections worldwide, treating the disease remains paramount.

The key to this is early screenings and detection, enabling doctors to start treatments as early as possible. There are several treatment options for patients, with new drugs currently being studied to further our ability to treat the virus.

, Man Fung Yuen, MD, PhD, discusses some of the new treatments in the pipeline including RG6346, an investigational treatment for chronic HBV. Yuen recently announced positive data from a phase 1 proof-of-concept trial showing the therapeutic candidate produced sustained HBsAg reductions, without yielding any serious adverse events.

Yuen, who is the Chief of the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the University of Hong Kong, said the drug, developed by Dicerna in collaboration with Roche, could make a major impact in treating this patient population.

Yuen also discussed how new advances in HBV treatment could usher in an era of personalized medicine for patients suffering from the viral infection.

Dr. Yuen discusses some new treatments in the pipeline and how personalized medicine could make an impact in HBV treatment. 

Man Fung Yuen, MD, PhD: The Future of Hepatitis B Treatment

September is Pain Awareness Month, a time when various organizations work to raise public awareness of the issues of 

 and pain management. With that, it is important to recognize the different types of pain patients experience from a variety of disease states.

While there are traditional methods of treating pain, such as prescribing opioids, an epidemic has led to addiction, overdose, and death. According to 

 an average of 41 people died each day from overdoses involving prescription opioids in 2018, totaling nearly 15,000. Still, there was a 13.5% decrease in prescription opioid-involved death rates from 2017 to 2018.

Although typically opioids are prescribed to treat pain, guidances have been instilled to limit the number of pills prescribed to patients. And alternate therapies and technologies exist to completely remove opioids from the treatment plan of patients.

I had the opportunity to speak to Alan Kaye, MD, PhD, a pain interventionist and professor at LSU Health School of Medicine, to discuss the importance of recognizing Pain Awareness Month, which was first declared a medical holiday in 2001, alternate treatments for pain, drugs in the pipeline, caring for a patient with pain, and much more.

Alan Kaye, MD, PhD, joins DocTalk during Pain Awareness Month to discuss opioids, alternate pain therapies, and caring for patients with pain.