Specialty Pharmacy

Building on a previous report that revealed corrupt business practices among the big 3 PBMs, a second interim report finds that PBMs heightened prices for important specialty generic drugs to increase their profit margins.

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis and higher body mass index (BMI) showed poorer clinical response to non-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-targeted treatments.

Successfully integrating biosimilars into practices requires careful planning and execution, as they impact virtually all aspects of a practice.

Managing comorbidities, ensuring proper dosing, and treating IVIG-related adverse events are areas where pharmacists play a large role.

If approved, nipocalimab can treat antibody positive individuals with generalized myasthenia gravis.

The Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes guidelines can provide pharmacists with approaches to minimizing chronic kidney disease progression and complications.

Virtual appointments were also an accessible alternative to in-person visits for patients who face obstacles accessing asthma care.

As of January 10, there are 5 major fires across a combined 36,560 acres—Palisades, Eaton, Kenneth, Hurst, and Lidia—and the 2 largest fires are a combined 11% contained.

The pharmacist’s role includes educating and making recommendations, collaborating with health care professionals, and observing early signs of cognitive impairment in patients during interactions.

High-cost medications necessary for treatment require close management to ensure patient safety and to adhere to payer-specific requirements.

Regulatory action could help patients with Hunter syndrome who have cognitive and behavioral complications and often do not have an effective treatment crossing the blood-brain barrier.

Backed by positive results in multiple clinical trials, a new drug application (NDA) has been submitted for relacorilant for consideration by the FDA.

Early diagnosis of chronic kidney disease (CKD) can help optimize treatment and manage the disease to prevent further decline.

Pharmacy students can provide education, patient advocacy, and medication access.

New medications like glucagon-like peptide-1 agonists and resmetirom show promise in reversing fatty liver disease and preventing progression.

Pharmacists should be aware of the impacts that anemia in patients being treated for cancer has on daily activities and overall quality of life.

Adherence to thiopurine medications after 6 months of use was 87.9% under direct pharmacist care but 65.7% under general practitioner guidance.

Treatment options may include treating the anemia with blood transfusions, androgen therapy, thalidomide, and other medications.

Pharmacists can educate patients on controlling risk factors and stay up-to-date on emerging therapies like SGLT2 inhibitors and finerenone that can slow disease progression.

The potential treatments include ivermectin, methylene blue, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, and low-dose naltrexone.

The disparity highlights opportunities for pharmacists to get involved and address health disparities.

Gecacitinib is a novel inhibitor targeting both JAK and ACVR1.

Adoption barriers include insurance coverage, patient and provider education, and regulatory hurdles that require aligned initiatives across stakeholders.

Pharmacists can significantly improve chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) management by promoting non-pharmacological interventions.

Despite the explosion of public interest in these drugs, ongoing shortages and debates over compounding made access difficult.

Currently available for prescription in the United States, vibegron is now the first and only β3 agonist FDA approved to treat patients living with OAB and being treated for BPH.

Concizumab-mtci is a subcutaneous, monoclonal antibody designed to achieve hemostasis in all hemophilia types.