REG ULATORY & HEALTHCARE NEWS

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Oncology, mv caIV~utsfastest growing OM programmes Use of carve-out disease management (OM) programmes by health maintenance organisations (HMOs) is growing for oncology. mv infection! AIDS, obesity/weight control and diabetes mellitus, but will decline for cardiovascular disease. asthma and behavioural health. This is the finding of a recent slU'Vey* that was conducted by Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. Oncology and mv infection!AIDS are the 2 most rapidly growing areas for HMO use of carve-out OM programmes. The obesity/weight control area will overtake cardiovascular disease in terms of percentage carve-out use next year. predicts Novartis; growth of the diabetes mellitus area is expected to be steady. The survey, which involved> 60 HMOs, reveal~ that 68% of HMOs had OM programmes for ~ 1 of

the top 5 targeted diseases: asthma, diabetes mellitus, congestive heart failure, gastrointestinal disorders and depression. Of these, HMO respondents voted diabetes mellitus programmes as the most satisfying type of carve-out in terms of ability to contain costs. Ability to monitor outcomes data was rated as the factor most responsible for the success of their OM programmes. • enIiIkd 'PItarmocy BeN!fit Report: 1997 Trmds &: Forecasts' c.x:a; mv. cIiabeIa, obesity OM ~ SeaJ po'IriIIa quil:kIy. DiIeae M_I"""'" News 2: 1 &:~. ~

ADa 1997

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Emdum: In a recent article. PhamrocoEconomics &: Outcomes News described nefazodone as a selective serotonin (SlIT) reuptake inhibitor [see PharmacoEconomics &: Outcomes News 108: 6, 19 Apr 1997,' 800522934]. Nefazodone is in fact a 5HT2-receptor antagonist and a 5HT and norepinephrine [noradrenaline] reuptake inhibitor.

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