With the rise of chronic liver diseases such as NAFLD and NASH, and the growing awareness of the importance of a healthy liver for overall well-being, it is more crucial than ever to not only understand the latest developments in the field but also play an active role in them. Read on to learn about how GLI and its partners are paving the way.
GLI and NASH Patients Address ICER Shortcomings in Assessment of Treatments for NASH
On April 28, the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) held a public meeting to present the evidence on its assessment of resmetirom and obeticholic acid for the treatment of NASH. Donna R. Cryer, alongside patient advocates from the liver community, highlighted the challenges of their personal experiences. Approval of and access to effective NASH treatments is essential to our population, and it is critically important that patient voices were heard in ICER’s assessment and in surrounding decisions made on NASH treatments.
After the event, GLI released a statement summarizing the top takeaways from the ICER review – including not recognizing concerns around caregiver impact, possible endorsement of unnecessary barriers to care (e.g., step therapy, cumbersome documentation of repeated attempts at weight loss, etc), and their lowering of grades for lack of available data when ICER rushed the review before outcomes data, long-term studies, prices and other essential elements of an accurate model are available.
GLI at The Liver Forum 14, Washington, DC
GLI President & CEO, Donna R. Cryer and Vice President of Liver Health Programs, Jeff McIntyre, appeared together on a panel at the Liver Forum 14 – a closed-door, invitation-only meeting held by the Forum for Collaborative Research to advance the regulatory sciences for the treatment of NAFLD or NASH and liver fibrosis by providing an independent and neutral venue for ongoing multi-stakeholder dialogue.
Mrs. Cryer and Jörn Schattenberg from University Medical Center, Mainz, co-moderated a panel discussion on AASLD Guidance for NASH and employing NIT-based Referral Pathways for Clinical Trials.
Media feature: Weight Matters Magazine – What Are NAFLD and NASH?
Weight Matters Magazine is the Obesity Action Coalition‘s most popular educational resource, produced quarterly with the needs of people living with obesity in mind. The Spring 2023 issue features an article written by GLI’s VP of Liver Health Programs, Jeff McIntyre, discussing why liver health is extremely important and what measures patients can take if they are diagnosed with NAFLD or NASH. ‘With the rising number of people living with obesity and other cardiometabolic disorders, liver health has gained the growing attention of medical professionals, scientists and the general public as we work to better screen, diagnose, treat and prevent liver disease.’ Read it here.
Fatty Liver or NASH: The Future of Noninvasive Diagnosis and Assessment
GLI supported and helped lead the convening of a forum of international experts to discuss optimal use of non-invasive diagnostics in NAFLD or NASH using a series of clinical assertion statements. These statements covered screening patients with diabetes, applicability of liver enzymes in determining fibrosis stage, use of transient elastography and blood-based tools, such as the Enhanced Liver Fibrosis test, and potential genetic testing.
Upon completion of the forum, GLI worked with the experts and partners on the completion of an article published in the March 2023 Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology, Expert Panel Consensus on Clinical Assertion Statements Describing Noninvasive Tools for Diagnosing Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis. Find the podcast on ReachMD discussing the results.
Raising Awareness Around Fatty Liver in Finland
The Finnish Kidney and Liver Organization, one of GLI’s partnering organizations, is organizing a series of events around Liver Week in Finland from May 8-12. Events include a public lecture on treatment methods for fatty liver, a panel discussion on the impact of liver disease on patients’ lives and sessions targeted at primary care doctors, nurses and specialists covering diagnostic tools and advancements for treating patients with liver disease. Visit the Finnish Kidney and Liver Organization for more information.
St. Louis University Inaugural Midwest Metabolic Clinical Symposium, St. Louis, MO
GLI endorsed the inaugural Midwest Metabolic Clinical Symposium hosted by St. Louis University School of Medicine. Over 120 participants attended the event, originating from multiple states in the United States as well as the United Kingdom, Austria, and Germany. The conference was attended by healthcare professionals from a variety of fields, including Geriatric, Renal, Hematology, Primary Care, Cardiology, Critical Care, Psychiatry, as well as students to learn about current and emerging best practices in managing obesity, diabetes, NAFLD, and cardiovascular disease.
International NASH Day is 1 month away! How do you plan to #StepUpforNASH? Learn more about how you can get involved today! Or, reach out to NASHday@globalliver.org.
