Specialty pharmacy refers to distribution channels designed to handle specialty drugs — pharmaceutical therapies that are either high cost,[1][2][3] high complexity[3] and/or high touch.[2] High touch refers to higher degree of complexity in terms of distribution, administration, or patient management which drives up the cost of the drugs. In the early years specialty pharmacy providers attached "high-touch services to their overall price tags" arguing that patients who receive specialty pharmaceuticals "need high levels of ancillary and follow-up care to ensure that the drug spend is not wasted on them."[4] An example of a specialty drug that would only be available through specialty pharmacy is interferon beta-1a (Avonex), a treatment for MS that requires a refrigerated chain of distribution and costs $17,000 a year.[1] Some specialty pharmacies deal in pharmaceuticals that treat complex or rare chronic conditions such as [5]cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, hemophilia, H.I.V.[3] psoriasis,[1] inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)[1] or Hepatitis C.[2][6] "Specialty pharmacies are seen as a reliable distribution channel for expensive drugs, offering patients convenience and lower costs while maximizing insurance reimbursements from those companies that cover the drug. Patients typically pay the same co-payments whether or not their insurers cover the drug."[7] As the market demanded specialization in drug distribution and clinical management of complex therapies, specialized pharma (SP) evolved.[2][8] Specialty pharmacies may handle therapies that are biologics,[1][9][10] and are injectable or infused (although some are oral medications).[2] By 2008 the pharmacy benefit management dominated the specialty pharmacies market having acquired smaller specialty pharmacies. PBMs administer specialty pharmacies in their network and can "negotiate better prices and frequently offer a complete menu of specialty pharmaceuticals and related services to serve as an attractive 'one-stop shop' for health plans and employers."[4]
In the mid 1990s, there were fewer than 30 specialty drugs on the market, but by 2008 that number had increased to 200.[4]
^ abcdeGleason, Alexander G. C.; Starner, C. I.; Ritter, S. T.; Van Houten, H. K.; Gunderson, B. W.; Shah, N. D. (September 2013). "Health plan utilization and costs of specialty drugs within 4 chronic conditions". Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy. 19 (7): 542–8. doi:10.18553/jmcp.2013.19.7.542. PMC 10437312. PMID 23964615.
^ abcde"Specialty Pharmacy Drug List" (PDF). Magellan RX Management. 2015. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
^ abcThomas, Kate; Pollack, Andrew (15 July 2015). "Specialty Pharmacies Proliferate, Along With Questions". New York Times. Sinking Spring, Pa. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
^ abcCite error: The named reference ncbi_2008 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Ingram, David (25 October 2015). "Legal tangle in California may shed light on specialty pharmacies". New York: Reuters. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
^"Diplomat expands hepatitis C specialty services with acquisition of Burman's Specialty Pharmacy". PRNewswire. Flint, Michigan. 19 June 2015. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
^Ornstein, Charles (22 October 2015). "Documents Raise New Questions About Valeant's Pharmacy Relationships in California". ProPublica. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
^Murphy, Chad O. "Specialty Pharmacy Managed Care Strategies" (PDF). Retrieved 24 September 2015.
^"Specialty Drugs Appearing as the Next Wave of Health Care Costs". Workforce. 28 September 2012. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
^Kirchhoff, Suzanne M. (3 August 2015). "Specialty Drugs: Background and Policy Concerns" (PDF). Congressional Research Service. p. 26. Retrieved 27 October 2015.
and 28 Related for: Specialty pharmacy information
Specialtypharmacy refers to distribution channels designed to handle specialty drugs — pharmaceutical therapies that are either high cost, high complexity...
In the United States, specializations in pharmacy practice recognized by the Board of PharmacySpecialties include: cardiovascular, infectious disease...
article in the Journal of Managed Care & SpecialtyPharmacy, on the increasingly important role of specialty drugs in the treatment of chronic conditions...
Avella SpecialtyPharmacy, formerly known as The Apothecary Shops, is an American specialtypharmacy company. Avella is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona...
Stadtlander pharmacy from Bergen Brunswig Corporation, making CVS ProCare the largest specialtypharmacy in the U.S. at the time. 2001: CVS/pharmacy launched...
government agencies. By 2002 CVS' specialtypharmacy ProCare, the "largest integrated retail/mail provider of specialtypharmacy services" in the United States...
Elevating Care in SpecialtyPharmacy". SpecialtyPharmacy Times. Archived from the original on 2019-03-25. Retrieved 2019-03-25. The Pharmacy Technician. Perspective...
Rhode Island. The new pharmacy services business, including the combined pharmacy benefits management (PBM), specialtypharmacy, and disease management...
following specialties: Ambulatory care pharmacy (BCACP) Critical care pharmacy (BCCCP) Nuclear pharmacy (BCNP) Nutrition support pharmacy (BCNSP) Oncology...
2004, Medco Health Solutions allied with Accredo Health to form a specialtypharmacy. In June of that year, Accredo's wholly owned subsidiary HHS acquired...
The Board of PharmacySpecialties (BPS) was established in 1976 and is an independent division of the American Pharmacists Association that grants recognition...
Philidor Rx Services is a Pennsylvania-licensed specialty online pharmacy, which mainly sold Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc drugs directly...
community outreach, and specialty services. As of September 2016, Thrifty White received full URAC accreditation for its specialtypharmacy. The first White...
AllianceRx Walgreens Prime, the combined central specialty and home delivery pharmacy formed by Walgreens and pharmacy benefit manager Prime Therapeutics LLC (Prime)...
Pharmacy automation involves the mechanical processes of handling and distributing medications. Any pharmacy task may be involved, including counting small...
Diplomat Pharmacy, Inc. is the largest independent provider of specialtypharmacy services in the United States. The company partners with manufacturers...
Biliary Cholangitis: Medical and SpecialtyPharmacy Management Update". Journal of Managed Care & SpecialtyPharmacy. 22 (10-a-s Suppl): S3–S15. doi:10...
their residency. There are three specialties or section: Hospital pharmacy (also called hospital and industrial pharmacy), Medical Biology and Pharmaceutical...
"SpecialtyPharmacies Proliferate, Along With Questions". New York Times. Sinking Spring, Pa. Retrieved 5 October 2015. Murphy CO. "SpecialtyPharmacy...
life sciences industry or biotechnology. In 2005 Genzyme chose the specialtypharmacy division of PharmaCare, one of the largest pharmaceutical benefit...
Investments purchased Goody Products, Inc. from Newell Brands. BioMatrix SpecialtyPharmacy True Value "ACON Investments and Torreal Acquire Germaine de Capuccini"...
MrMed is an online pharmacy for super-specialty medicines based in India. It was founded by Devashish Singh and Saurab Jain and has its headquarters in...
Presenteeism in the Workplace and at Home". Journal of Managed Care & SpecialtyPharmacy. 23 (7): 745–754. doi:10.18553/jmcp.2017.23.7.745. PMC 10398072. PMID 28650252...
clinical pharmacy had begun to attract more attention. In 1987 the National Educational Committee approved the start of the specialty of clinical pharmacy. Since...
distribution system, Nembutal will be supplied exclusively through a specialtypharmacy drop ship program that will deny distribution of the product to prisons...
spin-off from Merck. Wentworth was CEO and president of Accredo, Medco's specialtypharmacy. In April 2012, Express Scripts acquired Medco for $29.1 billion....
Global Information