Self-Assessment: Immune Mediated Peripheral Neuropathies | Paradigm Clashes: Debate & Exploration in Choosing Traditional vs Novel Immunotherapeutics for MG-Paradigm Clashes: Dr. Hehir Presentation

Paradigm Clashes: Dr. Hehir Presentation

Pdf Summary

The text outlines a presentation by Dr. Michael K. Hehir at the AANEM 2024 Annual Meeting, focusing on the management of Myasthenia Gravis (MG). The presentation evaluates the potential of novel therapies in treating MG, particularly whether they should be limited to specific patient populations. Dr. Hehir's disclosures include consultancy roles and research support from pharmaceutical companies.<br /><br />Dr. Hehir, alongside Professor Robert George, debates the efficacy and safety of new treatments compared to traditional ones, highlighting that newer therapies have improved the health and quality of life for MG patients. However, concerns such as side effects, cost-effectiveness, and the appropriate use of prednisone remain discussed topics.<br /><br />The presentation stresses the need to evaluate treatment strategies for special populations, such as newly diagnosed and refractory MG patients. It discusses traditional medications' role in achieving minimal symptoms and the efficacy of next-generation therapies for refractory cases. Moreover, the potential for biomarkers in predicting patient response to treatments is noted.<br /><br />Adverse event profiles are compared among traditional and next-generation treatments. There is a recognition of significant side effects associated with each, stressing the importance of conducting comparative studies on adverse events for all MG medications for a more comprehensive understanding of their burdens.<br /><br />Cost analyses reveal the high expense associated with next-generation treatments, posing sustainability challenges. The discourse suggests limiting these treatments to refractory patients and calls for collaboration among healthcare stakeholders to address medication costs and encourage distributive justice in treatment accessibility.<br /><br />Conclusively, the document calls for integrating both traditional and modern therapies while emphasizing the development of biomarkers, studying side effects, and addressing issues of treatment costs collaboratively.

Keywords

Myasthenia Gravis

novel therapies

treatment strategies

Dr. Michael K. Hehir

biomarkers

adverse events

cost-effectiveness

refractory patients

traditional medications

AANEM 2024