Specialty Pharmacy

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.

Avella Specialty Pharmacy has been named to Inc. Magazine's 500/5000 list of fastest growing companies in America. Avella has been included in this prestigious group of entrepreneurial ventures since Inc. Magazine started the listing in 2006.

In a new study published in the Journal of Managed Care Pharmacy, investigators interviewed patients and pharmacists about the costs and benefits of obtaining antiretroviral therapies from a community pharmacy.

Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy announced today that Cheryl Allen, RPh, has been promoted to vice president of business development and industry relations.

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.

Some pharmaceutical manufacturers choose a limited distribution model for their specialty product so that they can ensure all standards of care and reporting associated with that therapy are upheld, noted Duane Barnes, senior vice president, consumer delivery, Prime Therapeutics, at the 2013 Armada Specialty Pharmacy Summit.

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.

In a recent study, a majority of men reported they still wanted to receive prostate-specific antigen testing, despite recommendations by the US Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) against the test.

The FDA approved Tivicay (dolutegravir), a new drug to treat HIV-1 infection.

Specialty Pharmacy Times announced today that Armada Health Care (Armada), the nation's largest group purchasing and channel management organization for the specialty pharmacy market, has joined a rapidly growing list of Strategic Alliance Partners.

Cardinal Health today launched the Specialty Pharmacy Alliance, a new suite of services that make it easier for community pharmacies to improve their patients' access to and compliance with specialty medications.

The Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) recommended an expanded role for managed care and specialty pharmacists as the FDA re-evaluates its mandated Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS) program.

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

PharmaHealth Specialty Pharmacy announced today that it has been awarded Specialty Pharmacy Accreditation from URAC, a Washington, DC-based health care accrediting organization dedicated to promoting health care quality through accreditation, certification and commendation.

Prime Therapeutics projects that by 2017, the cost of specialty pharmaceuticals will be half the cost of all pharmacy claims. Therefore, noted Duane Barnes, senior vice president, consumer delivery at Prime Therapeutics, it is important for a PBM to align its medical and pharmacy policies.

The diagnosis of multiple sclerosis is not occurring early enough, despite recent advances in diagnostic tools and imaging.

Community pharmacists interviewed for a recently published study were eager to play a role in counseling patients who use over-the-counter HIV tests.

Experience with biologics and biosimilar products means a high level of trust from US payers, according to a report from BioTrends Research Group.

A new survey commissioned by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) shows 86% of Americans believe developing cures for more forms of cancer should be one of the top national health priorities.

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.

Researchers highlighted the latest developments in the treatment of multiple myeloma at the 2013 ASCO Annual Meeting.

As more and more specialty pharmacies enter the marketplace, the need for a competitive edge based on performance and quality has never been greater.

Debbie Stern of Rxperts highlights the various "unknowns" surrounding the potential cost savings of biosimilar products, such as interchangeability and the possible need for additional clinical trials.

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?

Specialty pharmacies can minimize "cost to treat" by identifying which specialty drugs have dose optimization opportunities, noted Michael Einodshofer, RPh, MBA, director of utilization management, Walgreens, at the 2013 PBMI Drug Benefit Conference.

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 National Association of Specialty Pharmacy (NASP) today announced their support of InnovatixCares, a new accountable care organization (ACO) provider network that was recently launched by New York, New York-based Innovatix Network, LLC.