Specialty Pharmacy

We discussed the highlights of Express Scripts' Workers' Compensation Report with Rochelle Henderson, director of health services research, research and new solutions, to learn more about how employees use prescription drugs through workers' compensation.

The 2.1% increase in total prescription drug costs in 2012 was driven by a 19.1% increase in specialty drug costs.

During CVS Caremark's first quarter earnings conference call on May 1, 2013, executives revealed that specialty is and will continue to be a "top priority."

Patrick Gleason, PharmD, BCPS, FCCP, director of Health Outcomes at Prime Therapeutics, discusses the value of pharmacogenomic testing and the factors that influence whether a health plan or PBM will reimburse for the use of that test.

EvaluatePharma's first-ever report covering the orphan disease sector predicted that the orphan drug market will reach $127 billion by 2018 and will grow at a rate that is nearly twice that of the overall prescription drug market.

The FDA today approved Procysbi (cysteamine bitartrate) for the management of nephropathic cystinosis in children and adults.

The Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy recently informed legislators in Oregon and California of its opposition to biosimilar substitution laws pending concrete FDA guidance.

A new report from Fitch Ratings identifies the most promising business development tactics and targets for 3 small market players in the specialty pharmaceutical space.

The FDA's restricted distribution programs, intended for medications with toxicity risks or other potential dangers, may also be used to impede biosimilar competition, according to a Federal Trade Commission amicus brief filed in the US District Court for the District of New Jersey.

JAK therapies and their origins were discussed in an educational session at the 17th Annual International Congress on Hematologic Malignancies on February 15-17, 2013, in NYC.

Patrick Gleason, PharmD, BCPS, FCCP, director of health outcomes for Prime Therapeutics, explains how split-fill programs can help reduce waste for expensive specialty medications.

Armada Health Care announced today that the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) has chosen Armada to be its primary purchasing partner.

Roper Industries, Inc announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Managed Health Care Associates, Inc (MHA) in a cash transaction valued at $1.0 billion.

Avella Specialty Pharmacy announced today that in 2012 its staff helped patients receive more than $7.2 million in financial assistance.

Results from a recent survey indicate that although payers are more familiar with specialty drugs, nearly half are not satisfied with their specialty pharmacy provider's adherence measurements.

A budget document released by the Obama administration details plans to restrict pay-for-delay agreements and reduce biologic product exclusivity terms.

Differences in patent extension terms in the United States and India have led to a ruling that may affect future drug innovation overseas.

First-line treatment options and new therapies for the treatment of multiple myeloma were recently examined at the 17th International Congress on Hematologic Malignancies in NYC.

The power of Internet search has recently been harnessed to help diagnose obscure diseases and monitor adverse effects of medications used to treat disease.

CVS Caremark today released its annual Insights report, which revealed that the increased availability of generics combined with CVS Caremark's industry-leading generic dispensing rate (GDR) of 77.4% helped reduce spending on traditional medications by 3.6% for the company's commercial clients.

The Specialty Pharmacy Association of America (SPAARx) today announced the launch of its new website.

Managed Health Care Associates, Inc (MHA), a leading health care service company focused on the alternate site health care provider marketplace, announced the completion of its sixth annual Independent Long Term Care Member Study, the results of which were released at the 2013 MHA Business Summit, February 28, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

In this video from The Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy's 25th Annual Meeting & Expo, Matthias Cheung, PhD, FCSHP, FASHP, from Advanced Rx Consulting, LLC, discusses the circumstances and factors that catalyzed the passage of current legislation and regulatory policies for orphan drugs, rare diseases, and ultra-rare diseases.

The newly released payer-directed resource from Avella details 10 of the most important issues payers should consider when selecting a specialty pharmacy.

Catamaran Corp, a leading provider of pharmacy benefit management (PBM) services and technology, today announced that its specialty brand, BriovaRx, has been awarded Specialty Pharmacy Accreditation from URAC.

A new drug to treat multiple sclerosis has the potential to drive spending increases in the specialty category.

BioPlus Specialty Pharmacy introduces the "2-Hour Patient Acceptance Guarantee" program for fast turn-around from patient referral to acceptance.

Prime Therapeutics' new studies, scheduled to be presented at AMCP, reveal that expected medical savings from the utilization of specialty drugs no longer offset the high cost of these therapies for the treatment of hepatitis C and rheumatoid arthritis.