2026 Compendium of Federal Medicine

Expert Panel Recommended Regular Review of Psychotropic Medications

by LaTina Emerson

Psychotropic medications are often prescribed for many complex, difficult-to-treat psychiatric disorders and include antidepressants, anti-anxiety agents, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers and stimulants. New guidance has suggested there’s a need for greater recognition of clinical psychopharmacology endpoints.

New Solutions for an Old Problem: Extending Dopamine Effectiveness in Parkinson’s Disease

by Brenda Mooney

Deep brain stimulation works well for some Parkinson’s disease patients for some period of time, but the long-term benefits might not be as promising, according to a new VA study. That brings clinicians back to their problem of decades: How to extend dopamine benefits to avoid “off” episodes. New pharmaceuticals might offer the answers.

First-Generation Weight Loss Drugs Still Play a Vital Role in Patient Care at VA

by LaTina Emerson

As obesity remains a significant threat to health worldwide, first-generation obesity medications continue to play an important role in clinical practice, according to a recent review article.

Nearly a Quarter of Active-Duty U.S. Servicemembers Meet Obesity Definition

by Brenda Mooney

Obesity poses an increasing threat to U.S. military readiness, with more than half of active-duty servicemembers classified as overweight and about a fourth as obese. Yet, weight loss medications continue to be underused. Find out why and how increasing political pressure might change that.

The Introduction of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors ‘Game Changer’ in NSCLC, Other Cancers

by Brenda Mooney

Presentations at the most recent European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) annual conference and other studies underscored the durability of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), which enable the patient’s immune cells to destroy cancer cells.

Cancer Vaccines in Lung Cancer: A New Strategy to Overcome Immunotherapy Resistance

by Annette Boyle

Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) resistance can be caused by tumor evasion mechanisms that prevent T cells from recognizing or killing cancer cells. Cancer vaccines are designed to address those challenges by stimulating the immune system to recognize tumor-specific antigens. Unlike preventive vaccines, these therapeutic approaches can “induce de novo or amplify pre-existing tumor-specific immune responses, thereby enhancing long-term immunological memory while maintaining a favorable safety profile,” according to a new study.

Acalabrutinib Gains Ground as Preferred BTK Inhibitor for CLL/SLL in Veterans Likely to Have Co-Morbidities

by Annette Boyle

Veterans with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and small lymphocytic leukemia tend to be very different than typical clinical trial populations, presenting with diagnoses of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease, obstructive sleep apnea, and post-traumatic stress disorder, among other conditions. That is why VA’s oncology clinical pathways now prefer a first-line therapy that has demonstrated efficacy across high-risk genomic subgroups, has a lower rate of adverse effects and is compatible with the complex comorbidity profile common among older veterans.

More Genetic Testing, New Drug Combinations Hold Promise for Prostate Cancer With Germline Variants

by Brenda Mooney

Pathogenic germline variants might be found in a relatively small percentage of prostate cancer patients, but they can make the prognosis much, much worse. Now, the future is looking brighter, with the VA and other healthcare systems spearheading more testing. At the same time, drug combinations involving PARP inhibitors are showing some success in lengthening survival.

B-Cell Lymphomas in Veterans: Expanding the Role of Next-Generation BTK Inhibition

by Annette Boyle

The PACT Act marked the largest single expansion of veterans’ benefits for toxic exposure in the history of the VA. Among its most consequential provisions for hematology-oncology care, the legislation established lymphomas of any type as presumptive service-connected conditions for veterans who served in qualifying locations during the Gulf War era or in the post-September 11, 2001, conflicts.

Veterans With ALS Report High Satisfaction With VA Care Compared to Outside Care

Veterans With ALS Report High Satisfaction With VA Care Compared to Outside Care

by LaTina Emerson

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive neurogenerative disease that has devastating symptoms. It is 1.5 times more common in military veterans than those who never served. A recent survey found that veterans with the disease gave high marks to VA’s highly comprehensive and coordinated system to manage their care.