Randi Hernandez, MS, Associate Editor/Online

A recent webinar from Zitter Health Insights highlighted the role of hubs and how these patient assistance programs are viewed by various stakeholders in the health care space.

Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy, Avella Specialty Pharmacy, EnvisionRxOptions, Prime Therapeutics, BioRx, and Amber Pharmacy were among the top 20 companies producing the largest revenue in the health section of the Inc. list.

Despite the high efficacy of imatinib to treat patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST), a recent article review of multiple GIST studies reveals that a large number of patients still achieve suboptimal adherence levels.

In the first reported clinical study of topical tofacitinib, investigators concluded that the Janus kinase inhibitor effectively reduced the clinical signs of psoriasis.

Many factors besides limited distribution are affecting access to specialty medications by retail pharmacies, according to a new industry study from Inmar.

Specialty tiers place an unfair burden on the most vulnerable patients, according to a new white paper from Medicare Access for Patients Rx.

The FDA's Breakthrough Therapy designation program represents a major shift not only in how drugs are brought to market, but in how drug sponsors communicate with agency officials.

Two major trade groups in the United States and European Union, PhRMA and EFPIA, recently pledged to increase the amount of drug trial information available to researchers. But what level of transparency would be afforded to patients?

An FDA advisory panel voted yesterday against recommending that AbbVie's Humira be approved to treat early-stage spondyloarthritis, a chronic inflammatory rheumatic disease.

The 10 highest-expenditure Medicare Part B drugs, all of which are classified as specialty medications, accounted for 45% of Part B spending in 2010, according to a report from the US Government Accountability Office highlighted in recent congressional testimony.

In a recent letter to HHS, the Specialty Pharmacy Association of America expressed its concerns about the impact of the HIPAA Final Rule on remuneration for Medication Therapy Management and specialty pharmacy services and on interaction with patients through social media platforms.

In a recent letter to the Delaware House of Representatives, the AMCP asked the body not to impose dollar limits on the prescription drug insurance practice of cost-sharing known as specialty tiers.

Unorthodox clinical study design, innovative FDA public policy, and increased levels of patient involvement may be necessary to develop suitable treatments for rare diseases.

A new study released by the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development reports that annual drug approvals for neglected diseases have nearly doubled since 2000, and patient access to these therapies has improved markedly.

Many of the types of drugs addressed by the guidance document could be categorized as specialty drugs because they require special handling, frequent dosing adjustments, and intensive clinical monitoring of adverse effects.

Recent actions by the FDA to accelerate simeprevir's journey to market may be instrumental in helping close the treatment gap for genotype 1 hepatitis C patients in need.

Research presented on June 25, 2013, at the Drug Information Association (DIA) 2013 49th Annual Meeting could trigger a paradigm shift in clinical trial patient recruitment and could change the way pharmacists engage with patients as new drugs make their way through the FDA approval process.

The Drug Information Association's (DIA) 49th Annual Meeting will cover information about rare disease, recruiting for clinical trials, and updates from the Center for Biologics Evaluation Research.

The updates issued by the FDA address the rules and language from the Orphan Drug Act governing orphan-drug designation and orphan-drug exclusivity.

An analysis of 6209 patients drawn from the Consortium of Rheumatology Researchers of North America found that nearly half of patients discontinue treatment with biologics within 2 years.

Consumer Watchdog's latest lawsuit questions the legality of another mandatory mail-order program for specialty pharmaceuticals.

The Supreme Court today ruled that because DNA is a "product of nature," it cannot be protected by a patent-but complementary DNA made synthetically in a lab would be eligible for patent protection.

A study published online in JAMA Psychiatry found that hospitalization for an infection or an autoimmune disease increased the risk of a subsequent mood disorder diagnosis.

The last day of ASCO is today! Check out these social media updates to see what has been popular at the meeting.

The letters ask 15 health insurance companies in New York to adopt a "Specialty Prescription Drug Fulfillment Hardship Exception Criteria" so that patients who want to get their specialty prescriptions at a community pharmacy may do so without penalty.

Bevacizumab is the first biologic, targeted treatment for cervical cancer proven to significantly improve survival, according to Phase III research released ahead of the plenary session of the 49th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

The addition of GM-CSF to ipilimumab treatment for patients with metastatic melanoma was found to decrease mortality risk by 35%, according to a study presented today at ASCO.

Manufacturers can use a variety of alternative distribution methods to reduce drug waste and prepare for the cost structure changes associated with health care reform.

The FDA indicated in a letter to SPAARx that future compounding legislation will omit the term "specialty pharmacy."

The value of a specialty therapy lies not only in its clinical safety and efficacy, but also in how its price compares with other therapies in its class, found a new report.