- Research finds that HCPs describe decisions to cap out-of-pocket inhaler costs at $35 as “life saving”
- Others call for end to “myth” that beta blockers should not be used in COPD patients
- Dupilumab NOTUS trial results seen as “big win” for patient care
- Daniel Sterman, Emily Fridenmaker and Nina Maouelainin identified as most impactful US HCPs in June 2024 online COPD discussion
A new analysis has uncovered the key topics of discussion in US healthcare professionals’ social media conversations relating to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The study explores reactions to major policy changes, sentiment towards new treatment approvals and developments, and evaluations of current and future therapy options.
The investigation, conducted by leading digital insights consultancy Creation Healthcare, involved an assessment of the social media use of more than 700 healthcare professionals in the US, totalling more than 1,400 individual posts. Conducted between January and June 2024, the study also identified the three most impactful online US HCPs in the COPD space.
HCPs applaud inhaler price caps
From March 2024, Creation Healthcare found significant praise among HCPs for the decision by several pharmaceutical companies to introduce a $35 per-month cap on the purchase of inhalers at retail pharmacies.
During the month, several major organizations including Boehringer Ingelheim, AstraZeneca and GlaxoSmithKline pledged to cap out of pocket costs for inhalers at $35, following an investigation by the Bernie Sanders-chaired HELP Committee.
The decision was met with widespread acclaim from healthcare professionals online. Alabama-based pulmonologist Anand S. Iyer, MD, described the news that Boehringer would cap costs as “incredible” – a decision that would be “life saving” for patients with limited to no insurance, some of whom were “stretching inhalers to save”.
Several other HCPs echoed this sentiment, thanking policymakers for their efforts in advocating for lower prices. One said that the decision would positively affect “tens of millions” who were “often having to pay out of pocket.
On March 20, GSK announced that they too would introduce a $35 price cap on patient out-of-pocket costs for their entire portfolio of asthma and COPD inhalers, which would be implemented no later than January 2025. Some HCPs, however, felt that the pharmaceutical company had “started the whole inhaler crisis” themselves by choosing to discontinue the production of Flovent from January 2024.
As a result of conversation around the price cap, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim and GSK proved the top three most-mentioned pharmaceutical companies in COPD-related discussion between January and June 2024.
HCPs react to emerging therapies
Conversation in the first half of the year also centered on new trials and treatment options for patients with COPD. Between 18 and 22 May, where the volume of HCP posts peaked, discussion was fuelled by the sharing of trial results presented at the American Thoracic Society International Conference (ATS 2024).
During the conference, HCPs shared a range of research with their peers and followers. Gaining particular traction were the results of an investigation showing that the beta blocker bisoprolol is a safe treatment option for cardiac disease in COPD patients. A significant proportion of HCP posts echoing this view were reposts of Vermont-based pulmonologist Josh Farkas’ plea to cease spreading misinformation about beta blockers’ usability in COPD patients. He called for an end to the “myth” that beta-blockers were unusable in COPD patients, suggesting that they were instead “fine” for use – and indeed that HCPs use them “all the time without blinking an eye”.
During ATS 2024, HCPs also celebrated the positive results of the NOTUS trial, involving Sanofi-Regeneron’s monoclonal antibody Dupixent (dupilumab), and its subsequent priority FDA review. Los Angeles-based pulmonary and critical care physician Chidinma Chima-Melton, MD, praised the “exciting” research as a “big win for patient care”, while the University of Michigan’s Chief of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, MeiLan Han, MD, described dupilumab as a drug that “opens up the door for a lot more research and exploration of biologics for the treatment of COPD.”
HCPs also responded positively to the FDA approval of Verona Pharma’s Ohtuvayre (ensifentrine), on 26th June, as maintenance treatment for COPD. Several took to social media to share the “exciting news” of the “breakthrough” treatment’s approval. Others noted the significance of the treatment as the “first FDA approved first in class in many years” for the disease.
HCPs evaluate COPD therapy types
Between January and June, ventilation support was among the most discussed therapy types among US HCPs on social media. In June, several reposted research on guidelines for using long-term non-invasive ventilation (LTNIV), including an evidence-based algorithm as a structured guide for HCPs applying NIV in acute exacerbation of COPD, to standardize care practices and optimize patient outcomes.
In the preceding months, however, particularly in January, others discussed how supplemental oxygen could induce hypercapnia in severe COPD cases, while others shared ventilation strategies to prevent “breath stacking”.
Medications remained among the top three COPD therapy approaches throughout, with most posts praising dupilumab’s positive trial results and its priority FDA review.
For the first five months of the year, palliative and end-of-life care dominated conversation related to the treatment and management of COPD, with 66 mentions. In these posts, HCPs mainly shared the results of the ADAPT trial, which demonstrated significant quality of life improvement in COPD patients using palliative telecare.
In June, however, surgical intervention became a significant topic of conversation. In fact, its number of mentions doubled in June compared to its previous monthly average in the first five months of the year. The major source of these mentions were shares of a post by cardiothoracic radiologist Daniel Vargas, who encouraged fellow HCPs to share their thoughts on a patient who had developed obstructive CLAD (Bronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome) after a left lung transplant.
Most impactful HCPs discussing COPD on X in June
Through their unique ‘HCP Impact Score’ assessment, Creation Healthcare were also able to identify the most prominent healthcare professionals discussing particular treatments, events, and subject areas on social media. The assessment considered metrics such as engagement with peers, social media statistics and the number of COPD-related posts.
The most impactful United States’ HCP in the month was New York-based interventional pulmonologist Daniel Sterman, whose posts included the sharing of a biologics therapy discussion, and an honoring of Pulmonary Grand Rounds speaker Francesca Polverino.
The second most impactful was pulmonologist Emily Fridenmaker, who shared with followers several threads on COPD talks and lectures that she had given in the recent past, as well as offering thoughts on case-specific application of COPD therapies.
The third most impactful was interventional pulmonologist Nina Maouelainin, who shared research on factors influencing exercise capacity in COPD patients and interventions to increase this capacity, as well as COPD pathogenesis and risk factors.
About Creation Healthcare
Creation Healthcare provides insights and consulting to inform health strategy, communications, and policymaking among some of the world’s largest healthcare companies, government organizations and NGOs.
This is made possible through CREATION Pinpoint®, the world’s only AI-powered global database of more than 3 million healthcare professionals’ social media profiles, analyzing the collective intelligence of almost 2 billion social media posts by professionals on the front lines of healthcare.
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