Expert Interviews

Collaboration between health system specialty pharmacies and manufacturers can benefit patients in the long run.

Addressing requirements around FDA interchangeability designations can increase the adoption of biosimilar substitutions at the pharmacy level.

A recent bill introduced to Congress is intended to prevent product hopping, a practice that extends exclusivity and hinders the adoption of biosimilar therapies.

Distributors can help manufacturers create patient access programs that reduce costs, copays, and co-insurance.

One notable incentive includes the launch of biosimilars at both low- and high wholesale acquisition costs.

Pharmacists can help financial decision makers understand the value of biosimilar therapies.

Savings associated with biosimilar uptake are projected to reach $181 billion through 2027.

The role of health care specialty pharmacies has expanded.

The expertise of health system specialty pharmacists, combined with better adherence and better affordability, leads to better patient outcomes.

Paying for these new therapies, that may be curative for patients, remains a challenge.

From medication adherence to patient counseling, clinical pharmacists at health system specialty pharmacies can play a role in reducing health care costs.

At AAP 2024, Kathy Campbell, PharmD, discussed obstacles that pharmacies may face when transitioning to a wellness-focused approach.

According to Scott Soefje, PharmD, understanding nuances across sites of care can help health care providers optimize patient care delivery while ensuring financial viability across all settings.

Karen Fancher, PharmD, addresses how hearing the perspectives of colleagues can offer invaluable support to shape individualized approaches to ethical dilemmas in oncology pharmacy.

While prioritizing either cost or margin may be necessary at a site of care, big picture items, such as societal responsibility and long-term health care affordability, should guide financial analyses, said Scott Soefje, PharmD.

When AI is incorporated into pharmacy workflows, the technology can help pharmacists demonstrate the value of their profession.

According to Kirollos Hanna, PharmD, although similarities exist between bispecific therapies in the myeloma space, health care providers should take special note of practical differences and nuances associated with each when operationalizing them at their site of care.

As the potential grows to use emerging bispecifics in earlier lines of myeloma therapy, so does the potential to induce better patient outcomes, said Kirollos Hanna, PharmD.

Eric Fromhart, co-founder and chief growth officer at Aventi Health, discusses how pharmacies can use 340B to increase profits and how they can avoid any potential risks when participating in the program.

In an interview at AAP 2024, Douglas Hoey, CEO of NCPA, talked about changing the pharmacy payment model and deceptive practices being employed by PBMs.

Joe McKamey, general manager at Marcrom’s Pharmacy in Manchester, Tennessee, talks about why pharmacies should open their own Medicare-focused insurance agency and what steps and preparations they can take to ensure a successful launch and operation.

Kathy Campbell, PharmD, pharmacist and patient advocate at Medicap Pharmacy in Owassa, Oklahoma, and CEO of DrKathy Health, discusses the unique value that a wellness-focused pharmacy offers compared to traditional models.

Eric Fromhart, co-founder and chief growth officer at Aventi Health, talked about the importance of the 340B drug pricing program at the 2024 AAP annual conference.

Drug Topics sat down with Douglas Hoey, CEO of NCPA, at the 2024 AAP annual conference to discuss how independent pharmacies are doing so far this year.

Wendy Crouse, DVM, an independent house call veterinarian with Heal House Call Veterinarian, sat down with Drug Topics to discuss how the adoption of e-prescribing has transformed her practice.

Kevin Hope, RPh, senior director of pharmacy education at Pharmcon, joined Drug Topics to discuss pharmacy compounding from the new USP changes and the importance of education around compounding best practices.

Drug Topics recently sat down with Steve Hoffart, PharmD, owner and PIC at Magnolia Pharmacy north of Houston, to discuss the importance of pharmacists getting involved in advocacy.

Burnout is not a new phenomenon in healthcare professions. Emotional exhaustion and work-related stress have always impacted doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers. However, the rate at which burnout is occurring has been increasing steadily over the years, and it was significantly exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. During the pandemic, pharmacists took on a larger role to help their communities, which has now led to new levels of reduced wellbeing and increased job turnover. Drug Topics sat down with Marvin Richardson, Industry Advisory & Board Member of iA, a company that develops software to help patients and pharmacists, to discuss burnout in pharmacy, how the industry can improve, what will happen if it doesn’t, and how iA is working to make the job easier for pharmacists.

Jason Reed, PharmD, Senior Director of Product Management at FTB Vella, discusses the importance of drug price transparency for both consumers and veterinarians.

Lathe Bigler, Vice President of Clinical Network Services at FDB and General Manager at FDB Vela, discusses drug transparency and why it's important for patients to shop around for their prescriptions.