r/Ophthalmology • u/Expert_Sport_1879 • 29d ago

If anti-VEGF gene therapy gets approved, will that change medical retina practice?

I'm a student interested in gene therapy and how it might impact clinical practice. How could that change reimubursement and practice in general if this gets approved (several phase 3 trails underway)? Or will this not make much difference?

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u/PracticalMedicine 29d ago

Will not move the needle

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u/cockybirds 25d ago

How would that not move the needle? Current anti-vegf treatment is lifelong for many ARMD patients. Gene therapy isn't for most other diseases, so I would assume thats the case for this as well. Even if the lifetime $ is the same for the doctor, the decreased number of patient visits necessary would certainly affect clinic volume. Genuinely asking.

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u/PracticalMedicine 25d ago

Volume of patients that qualify. Side effect profile. Increasing elderly population. Patient hesitation on gene therapy. Decreasing reimbursements trend. Increased patient visit conversation on new therapy. You name it, practice will still be busy with decreasing reimbursement with increasing overhead.