Abraham Kazemi, MD, is the director of Cosmetic and Laser Dermatology for Virginia’s Pinnacle Dermatology sites.

Daily Challenges as a Dermatologist Helping Underserved Patients, With Abrahem Kazemi, MD

Skin of Color Savvy: The Art and Science of Treating Patients of Color

, Abrahem Kazemi, MD, reflects on the evolving challenges and rewards of modern dermatologic practice, highlighting how resilience, clinical expertise, and a commitment to underserved populations intersect in his daily work.

He describes challenge as a constant in dermatology—one that has been shaped in part by his residency training in New York City during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Having trained at the New York Medical College Department of Dermatology in Manhattan, he experienced a dramatic shift from routine clinical education to frontline emergency response. Working in special pathogen units and witnessing severe, often fatal cases of respiratory failure, he notes that the experience demanded courage and adaptability. That period, he explains, instilled in him the “thick skin” and decisiveness that now inform his approach to complex dermatologic cases.

In current practice in Northern Virginia, Kazemi sees between 60 and 80 patients per day and is among a limited number of board-certified dermatologists in the state who accept Medicaid. As a result, he frequently manages patients who present with advanced disease due to delayed access to care. He notes that these cases often include advanced skin cancers in rural populations, severe hidradenitis suppurativa, and scarring alopecias in patients of color. Beyond diagnostic and procedural complexity, he identifies treatment adherence and follow-up as ongoing challenges, particularly among patients navigating socioeconomic instability. Education, clear communication, and reinforcement of compliance, he emphasizes, are essential components of care. Despite the obstacles, he frames this work as both a responsibility and a source of professional pride.

The segment also highlights his focused clinical interests in skin of color, alopecias, hidradenitis suppurativa, and complex psoriasis. He discusses the psychosocial burden of hair loss disorders, particularly in women and men of color, and points to expanding therapeutic options as a promising development. Oral minoxidil and dutasteride, among other systemic therapies, are becoming more mainstream, while procedural interventions such as low-level laser therapy, platelet-rich plasma, platelet-rich fibrin, and microneedling are gaining traction within evidence-based frameworks.

He expresses particular interest in central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA), noting prior dermatopathologic research correlating fibrosis with disease severity. The condition, he explains, remains underrecognized and often mischaracterized, underscoring the need for specialized expertise in melanin-rich skin. In hidradenitis suppurativa, he highlights the addition of newer biologics to the treatment armamentarium and anticipates the potential impact of emerging oral JAK inhibitors.

Throughout the segment, Kazemi underscores a broader theme: dermatology is rarely “just skin deep.” Clinical acumen must be paired with perseverance, advocacy, and a willingness to care for populations that others may overlook—an ethos that continues to shape his evolving practice.

Editor’s note: This summary was edited with the help of AI tools.

Kazemi A. Skin of Color Savvy: Serving the Underserved in Dermatology, With Abrahem Kazemi, MD. HCPLive. February 16, 2026. Accessed February 17, 2026. 

https://www.hcplive.com/view/skin-of-color-savvy-serving-underserved-dermatology-abrahem-kazemi-md

Videos

This clip from the latest episode of the Skin of Color Savvy podcast highlights Kazemi's experiences as a dermatologist working to help underserved communities.

Dermatology

The HCPLive dermatology page is a resource for medical news and expert insights on skin disease. This page features expert-led coverage, articles, videos and research on the therapies and development of treatments for dermatologic conditions, and more.

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clinical page is a resource for content on every specialty, disease, and topic available on our medical news site.

Hosted by Skin of Color Society and produced by HCPLive, 

 delves into the latest research, clinical insights, and culturally intelligent care practices in dermatology with leading experts. 

Whether it’s groundbreaking research, practice-changing insights, or highlights from the SOCS community, this twice-monthly program provides dermatologists and care providers with expert perspectives on treating patients with skin of color.

Daily Challenges as a Dermatologist Helping Underserved Patients

Diana Isaacs, PharmD, is an endocrine clinical pharmacist, director of Education and Training in Diabetes Technology, and codirector of Endocrine Disorders in Pregnancy at the Cleveland Clinic.

Novo Nordisk Rebrands Rybelsus as Ozempic to Increase Patient Awareness

 approved Ozempic as the proprietary name for Novo Nordisk’s oral semaglutide formulation 1.5 mg, 4 mg, and 9 mg for adult patients with 

. The pill’s active ingredient is the same as the treatment previously known as Rybelsus, meaning the change is effectively a rebrand of an existing drug.

Diabetes Dialogue cohosts Diana Isaacs, PharmD, and Natalie Bellini, DNP, discuss the decision and its expected impact on patient awareness of the drug’s availability and efficacy.

Check out the full episode on oral GLP-1s 

In this segment, the discussion opens with a review of the recent expansion of oral semaglutide options, including higher-dose oral Wegovy and the FDA approval of 14 mg oral semaglutide now branded as Ozempic for type 2 diabetes. Isaacs and Bellini emphasize that this development does not represent a new molecular entity, but rather a reformulation and strategic rebranding of oral semaglutide previously marketed as Rybelsus. Based on bioequivalence data, the updated formulation maintains comparable efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetic properties to earlier oral semaglutide doses, while offering a more concentrated preparation that simplifies dosing without altering potency.

The cohosts also highlight the practical and administrative simplification achieved through harmonized branding. Historically, clinicians navigated distinct brand identities—Wegovy for weight management and Ozempic for type 2 diabetes—across injectable formulations, while oral semaglutide carried a separate name. This fragmentation often created confusion for patients and added complexity to prior authorizations, particularly given the substantial overlap between type 2 diabetes and obesity in clinical populations. By aligning oral and injectable products under consistent brand identities tied to indication, prescribing discussions become clearer and more intuitive for both clinicians and patients.

The duo notes that name recognition appears to significantly influence patient interest and engagement. While oral semaglutide was previously available, uptake of Rybelsus was perceived as modest. In contrast, rebranding to oral Ozempic—and the introduction of oral Wegovy—has already generated increased patient inquiries, suggesting that familiarity with established GLP-1 receptor agonist brands may enhance acceptance and demand.

Isaacs and Bellini also highlight key pharmacologic and administration considerations. Oral semaglutide must be taken with no more than four ounces of water and separated from other medications to optimize absorption, due to its co-formulated absorption enhancer. Although administered daily, it retains a prolonged half-life of approximately one week, comparable to injectable formulations. The daily schedule reflects bioavailability constraints rather than rapid clearance, and appropriate counseling remains essential—particularly regarding dose holding for pregnancy planning or perioperative management.

Overall, Isaacs and Bellini characterize these updates as a meaningful step toward streamlining GLP-1 receptor agonist therapy. By reducing confusion, simplifying prescribing logistics, and leveraging brand continuity, the transition to oral Ozempic and oral Wegovy may improve access, adherence, and patient-centered care for individuals with type 2 diabetes and obesity.

Editor’s Note: Isaacs reports disclosures with Dexcom, Abbott, Lilly, Novo Nordisk, Medtronic, Insulet, and others. Bellini reports disclosures with Abbott Diabetes Care, MannKind, Povention Bio, and others.

1: Novo Nordisk. Novo Nordisk introduces Ozempic Pill; Available in the US Q2 2026. February 4, 2026. Accessed February 17, 2026. 

https://www.novonordisk-us.com/media/news-archive/news-details.html?id=916488

Diabetes Dialogue Cohosts Diana Isaacs, PharmD, and Natalie Bellini, DNP, cover the patient awareness motivation behind Novo Nordisk’s recent announcement.

Endocrinology

The HCPLive endocrinology page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on endocrine system conditions. This page consists of interviews, articles, podcasts, and videos on the research, treatment and development of therapies for diabetes, hormonal disease, and more.

Type 2 Diabetes

Diabetes Dialogue

Diabetes Dialogue: Technology, Therapeutics, & Real-World Perspectives is a monthly podcast hosted by Diana Isaacs, PharmD, and Natalie Bellini, DNP, aimed at providing a regular roundup of the latest clinically applicable insights across diabetes and metabolic diseases, with a focus on leveraging technology to improve care.

Strategic Alliance Partnership

Follow-up structure and objective thresholds for evaluating non-incretin therapy

Clinicians are advised to implement structured early follow-up—every 4 to 12 weeks—to evaluate weight trajectory, vitals, tolerability, and adverse events. Dr Cristancho emphasizes individualized lab monitoring based on the specific non-incretin agent and patient comorbidities.

A practical early-response threshold is ≥5% weight loss by about 12 to 16 weeks at a therapeutic dose. Lack of response should trigger reassessment of lifestyle behaviors, adherence, and dose adequacy, and may indicate a need to discontinue or switch therapy.

Dr Cristancho highlights that clinically meaningful improvements in cardiometabolic risk factors may warrant continuation even when weight reduction falls short of ideal targets. Decisions should integrate both weight and comorbidity outcomes rather than focusing on weight alone.

In this segment, Dr Cristancho describes a pragmatic follow-up schedule and objective criteria—including early weight-loss benchmarks—to determine whether to continue, adjust, or discontinue non-incretin treatment.

Dr Cristancho reviews the targeted role of sympathomimetic agents and outlines essential cardiovascular, psychiatric, and drug–drug interaction assessments before initiating non-incretin medications.

Sympathomimetic agents and baseline safety assessment in obesity pharmacotherapy

This segment positions sympathomimetic agents as targeted tools for select patients with severe hyperphagia and without major cardiovascular or psychiatric contraindications. Dr Cristancho notes their rapid onset and generally shorter approved duration of use, which necessitate structured monitoring.

Clinicians should avoid or use extreme caution with stimulant-based therapies in patients with established cardiovascular disease, uncontrolled hypertension, or significant psychiatric comorbidity. In such populations, alternative non-incretin options with more favorable safety profiles may be preferable.

Baseline evaluation must encompass cardiovascular history and vitals, mental health screening, and a full review of concomitant medications. Dr Cristancho underscores that this front-loaded risk assessment is essential not only for sympathomimetics but for all centrally acting and non-incretin weight loss agents.

David Rizik, MD, is an interventional cardiologist at Banner University Health.

Michael Morris, MD, is a diagnostic radiologist at Banner University Health.

Balancing Enthusiasm With the Need for Trial Data, With David Rizik, MD, and Michael Morris, MD

 from Banner Health gave a live demonstration of the Heartflow PCI Navigator, an investigational, AI-driven device that analyzes CT scan data to generate 3D models of patients’ venous systems to help clinicians determine optimal stent placement.

First debuted at the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) conference from October 25-28, 2025, the Navigator more specifically generates models of the patient’s anatomy, plaque composition, and lesion-specific physiology, giving clinicians access to all necessary data before entering the catheterization lab for stenting procedures. The current presentation, delivered at the inaugural Scottsdale Interventional Forum (SCI) in Phoenix, Arizona, was many clinicians’ first example of the technology.

However, despite the promise of this new technology, it is still very much in the investigative phase. The first in-human trials of the Heartflow PCI Navigator have yet to take place. To discuss the dichotomy between enthusiasm for new technology and the necessary steps to clear it for clinical use, as well as how clinicians can balance this frustrating reality, the 

 editorial team spoke with David Rizik, MD, an interventional cardiologist at Banner University Health and co-leader of the session, and Michael Morris, MD, a diagnostic radiologist at Banner University Health and the other session co-leader.

“The frustrating thing is that we always want to have the outcomes data at the same time as we get the new information, but there’s a delay,” Morris told 

. “Right now, we’re at the early aspect of the process, where we just now have it available, and we have thought leaders who are enlightening us as to how best these tools can be used in terms of enhancing the clinical pathway.”

The Heartflow PCI Navigator was developed as a result of the PLAN CALCIUM study, a retrospective cohort analysis which was presented alongside the Navigator at TCT 2025. A total of 85,306 patients were included in the analysis, of whom 4936 were receiving CCTA and 80,370 were not.

Investigators established a composite endpoint of all-cause mortality, heart failure, and AMI at 1 and 5 years of follow-up; by the end of the trial, 9.6% of patients receiving CCTA exhibited this endpoint versus 13% of those not receiving CCTA at 1 year. Additionally, at the 5-year mark, 16.1% of recipients and 23.7% of non-recipients exhibited the composite endpoint.

Heartflow has also announced that it is actively recruiting patients into the NAVIGATE-PCI registry, which will assess the Navigator’s effect on procedural safety and efficacy, strategy and patient outcomes, and physician confidence compared to standard treatments. The registry aims to enroll >2500 patients; currently, it is targeting roughly 30 sites across the US.

Until this study – and its subsequent clinical trials – are complete, clinicians remain limited to traditional stent treatment. Rizik and Morris acknowledge that this is a point of frustration, given the hypothetically superior outcomes that the Heartflow PCI Navigator can provide for patients. However, they urge patience, as the actual practical efficacy – and potential limitations – of the technology are still unknown.

“A very wise cardiologist once said, no matter how enthusiastic you are, you put your prejudices aside, and you do the studies,” Rizik told 

Editor’s Note: Rizik reports disclosures with Abbott Vascular, Biotronik, Cordis, Trireme, and Boston Scientific. Morris reports no relevant disclosures.

Banner Health. Banner Health pioneers advanced treatment for complex coronary disease. February 11, 2026. Accessed February 12, 2026. 

https://www.bannerhealth.com/newsroom/press-releases/complex-coronary-disease

Patel A, Sandoval Y, Mullen S, et al. TCT-417 coronary CT angiography and AI-enabled coronary plaque analysis to inform PCI and lesion preparation: The plan calcium study. JACC. 2025;86(17). 

Heartflow. New Heartflow PCI Navigator to Equip Interventional Cardiologists with Pre-procedural Insights to Enable PCI Planning. October 22, 2025. Accessed February 12, 2026. 

https://ir.heartflow.com/news-releases/news-release-details/new-heartflow-pci-navigator-equip-interventional-cardiologists

Rizik and Morris discuss the Heartflow PCI Navigator and its promising implications for patients – and how they manage that excitement while waiting for trial data.

Cardiology

Cardiology condition center page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on cardiovascular and cardiometabolic diseases. This page consists of interviews, articles, podcasts, and videos on the research, treatment and development of therapies for heart disease and cardiovascular events, as well as associated diabetes, renal failure, and more...

Balancing Enthusiasm for New Technologies With the Need for Trial Data, With David Rizik, MD, and Michael Morris, MD

Alex Hillenbrand is an assistant editor for 

. She earned her BA in English from Lafayette College in 2023 and went on to write for pop culture, entertainment, and sports media outlets before joining MJH Life Sciences in 2025. In her free time, Alex enjoys cooking, going on walks, and meeting new people. Contact her at mjhlifesciences.com.

Articles

Experts in nephrology explain the benefits of kidney transplantation, the evolving immunosuppression landscape, and evaluate the risk factors for donors. 


Nephrology

The HCPLive nephrology page is a resource for medical news and expert insights on kidney disease. This page features expert-led coverage, articles, videos and research on the therapies and development of treatments in nephrology, and more.

Chronic Kidney Disease

Breaking Down The Kidney Transplant Landscape on National Donor Day

Walter J. Liszewski, MD, is an associate professor of dermatology and cancer epidemiology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

This Q&A summarizes a recent 2026 Maui Derm Hawaii interview with Walter J. Liszewski, MD, regarding contact dermatitis updates.

Atopic Dermatitis

Atopic Dermatitis condition center page, audiences can find a variety of coverage mediums for medical news and updates, including articles, video interviews, podcasts, and breaking news on dermatitis research, treatment, and drug development.

Conference

 conference coverage page features articles, videos, and expert-led live coverage from major medical meetings throughout the year.

Summarizing Key Updates in Contact Dermatitis Management 2026, With Walter Liszewski, MD

Real world study shows significant 12- and 18-month attack rate reductions across HAE subtypes and baseline severities following berotralstat initiation.

Allergy

Allergy condition center page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on allergic and inflammatory diseases. This page consists of interviews, articles, podcasts, and videos on the research, treatment and development of therapies for food and seasonal allergies, as well as allergic asthma and related conditions.

Sustained HAE Attack Reductions at 18 Months with Berotralstat, With Raffi Tachdjian, MD

Cohosts Diana Isaacs, PharmD, and Natalie Bellini, DNP, discuss the controversy surrounding Hims and Hers and the risks of compounding GLP-1 formulas.

Type 1 Diabetes

Podcasts

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The Dangers of Compounded Oral GLP-1s

MAJESTY, a phase 3 study evaluating obinutuzumab in primary membranous nephropathy, demonstrates positive efficacy and safety.  


MAJESTY: Obinutuzumab Achieves 2 Year Complete Remission in Primary Membranous Nephropathy

Frances Lee, MD, is an assistant professor of medicine in the division of liver diseases at Mount Sinai.

Explore the safety and long-term effects of PPAR agonists in patients with liver disease, addressing concerns about bone health and medication interactions.

The Safety of PPAR Agonists in PBC: Reviewing Recent Trial Data

This Skin of Color Savvy episode featured Abrahem Kazemi, MD, who speaks on several notable experiences he had as a dermatologist.

Skin of Color Savvy: Serving the Underserved in Dermatology, With Abrahem Kazemi, MD

Explore the latest FDA-approved second-line therapies for PBC, including seladelpar and elafibranor, and their mechanisms of action.

The Efficacy of PPAR Agonists in PBC: Signals of Extrahepatic Improvements

A new study found no association between antibiotic class or number of classes in infancy and later allergic disease, reinforcing stewardship over substitution.


No Class-Specific Early-Life Antibiotics Linked to Allergy, With Moath Hattab, MD

Stay updated with the latest healthcare breakthroughs, FDA actions and new phase 2 and 3 data, in this week’s essential news roundup.

Pulmonology

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Obesity Management

Obesity Management condition center page, resources on the topics of medical news and expert insight into clinical weight management can be found. Content includes articles, interviews, videos, podcasts, and breaking news on obesity research, treatment, and drug development.

Latest News

Daily Challenges as a Dermatologist Helping Underserved Patients

Novo Nordisk Rebrands Rybelsus as Ozempic to Increase Patient Awareness

Follow-up structure and objective thresholds for evaluating non-incretin therapy

Sympathomimetic agents and baseline safety assessment in obesity pharmacotherapy

Balancing Enthusiasm for New Technologies With the Need for Trial Data, With David Rizik, MD, and Michael Morris, MD