News

In 2023, the AUS Executive Committee approved a task force to undertake the effort of adding medications to the Micromedex database for off-label use in ocular inflammatory diseases. This task force was led by Drs. Robert Swan and Bob Moorthy and we'd like to announce some important updates from their work:

Micromedex recently approved the following medications and off-label uses:

• Tocilizumab for adult uveitis
• Adalimumab for adult PUK
  
• Rituximab for adult scleritis
  

Data has also been submitted and is being considered by Micromedex for the following:

• Tocilizumab for pediatric uveitis
• Rituximab for OCP
  
• Infliximab for PUK
  

Many insurances use the Micromedex compendium to decide whether or not they will approve a medication for use in patients. This task force has been instrumental in expanding access to medications for our patients, as it also is a resource for finding primary literature supporting the drug's off-label use in certain conditions. We want to recognize the leaders and members of this task force for their important work in lowering barriers to help obtain effective treatment for our patients!

AUS Micromedex Task Force Members

Robert Swan, MD (co-chair)

Bob Moorthy, MD (co-chair)

Laura Kopplin, MD, PhD

Christopher Conrady, MD, PhD

Joan Lee, DO

Jennifer Cao, MD

Caroline Minkus, MD

Retinal Physician recently interviewed several co-founders of the Young Uveitis Specialists (YUS) to discuss the objectives of this recently established subgroup within AUS , focusing on their mission to support early career uveitis specialists. Read the full article here.

The American Uveitis Society today issued an official policy statement that uveitis fellowship interviews should be conducted in-person. The position statement can be found here.

We are excited to inform you that the AUS Micromedex Task Force headed by Drs. Robert Swan and Bob Moorthy, along with Drs. Jenn Cao, Joan Lee, Christopher Conrady, Caroline Minkus, and Laura Kopplin has successfully approached MicroMedex and provided peer-reviewed evidence strongly supporting the use of traditional immunomodulatory therapy and biologics in the treatment of non-infectious uveitis.  MicroMedex is an evidence-based, multi-database drug search engine that provides summary and in-depth information for drugs, diseases, toxicology and alternative medicine and is heavily utilized by insurance carriers to construct their tiered formularies and prior authorization policies. The AUS Micromedex Task Force asked for a desperately needed update and review of the existing database on steroid sparing IMT and biologics in uveitis management. After their independent review of submitted supporting documents and research,  MicroMedex has updated their adalimumab recommendations to include a new indication for Anterior Uveitis (adult and pediatric) and have also added once-weekly off-label dosing to both the adalimumab FDA indication along with the new Anterior Uveitis indication.  This should make adalimumab prior authorizations easier for anterior uveitis and also for escalation to weekly dosing.  Further reviews and database updates will likely follow in the next few months.

The 17th International Ocular Inflammation Society (IOIS) Congress will be held in Berlin, Germany from September 7-9, 2023.

There will be an AUS-sponsored symposium during the IOIS meeting on Friday morning, September 8 at 9am Berlin time. Chaired by Nisha Acharya, MD, MS and Russell Read, MD, PhD the session titled "What NEI-Funded Studies Have Taught Us About the Clinical Care of Uveitis" will feature the following speakers:

Title	Speaker
Welcome and Introduction	Drs Acharya and Read
MUST	Dr Douglas Jabs
FAST	Dr John Gonzales
SITE	Dr John Kempen
MERIT	Dr Nisha Acharya
Summary	Dr Douglas Jabs

There will be a Q&A session at the end of the talks.

More information can be found on the IOIS website here.

Dr. Phoebe Lin was recognized at AAO 2022 in Chicago for her selection to the Academy’s 24th Leadership Development Program (LDP) class.  Dr. Lin, nominated by the AUS, joins 19 other ophthalmologists in the LDP XXIV, class of 2023 chosen via a competitive selection process. In addition to US participants nominated by state, subspecialty and specialized interest societies, the LDP XXIV class also includes one international participant from the Ukraine who is jointly representing the Ukranian Ophthalmological Society and the European Society of Ophthalmology.  This LDP class came together for an Orientation Session in Chicago led by Academy LDP Director Chris Albanis, MD.  They were joined by participants in the Pan-American Association’s complementary program – PAAO’s Curso de Liderazgo – which is led by co-directors Zelia Correa, MD, PhD and Peter Quiros, MD.

In January 2023, Dr. Lin will take part in a 2 ½ day interactive session in San Francisco where she will hear from AAO physician leadership, including 2023 Academy President Daniel Briceland, MD, on a wide variety of leadership topics. During this session she will also visit the AAO headquarters and participate in skills training exercises. Next Dr. Lin will attend the Academy’s Mid-Year Forum 2023 in April in Washington D.C. where she will have scheduled meetings on Capitol Hill with Senators, Representatives and healthcare staff to discuss issues important to the medical profession.  During an advocacy session dedicated to LDP XXIV participants, Dr. Lin will also hear from a member of the US Congress about building effective relationships with legislators and how best to advocate on behalf of patients.  The final LDP session for the class of 2023 will take place in conjunction with AAO 2023 in San Francisco.

More information about the Academy's LDP can be found here.

Lucia Sobrin, MD, MPH (Co-Chair of the AAO 2022 Uveitis Subspecialty Day) provides highlights and a review of late breaking news from the meeting. Watch the video interview here.

The American Uveitis Society was represented by Steven Yeh, MD, Jessica Shantha, MD, MS, Thuy Doan MD, PhD, and Nisha Acharya, MD, MS at the first ever Global Ophthalmology Summit (GOS) in Park City, UT, held from August 12-13, 2022.

More details can be found here and recordings of the GOS are available here. The second GOS will be held in Atlanta, GA in September 2023.

Gary N. Holland, MD and Steven Yeh, MD were awarded the 2022 Distinguished Service Award at AAO 2022 in Chicago, Illinois as part of their contributions to the team that developed the Academy’s clinical recommendations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read the full details on the AAO website here.

Russell N Van Gelder MD PhD has been appointed the new editor-in-chief of Ophthalmology, the flagship scientific journal from the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Read the full details on the AAO website here.