Pharmaceutical compounding is described as combining or mixing ingredients to create a medication tailored to a specific patient’s needs. Sometimes, patients cannot take the manufactured version of a medication for various reasons, including allergies, inability to swallow pills or specialized…
How does the patent game affect patients? Besides the obvious, which is high prices and low adherence to expensive medications, there are other, less discussed ramifications that the US pharmaceutical patent game has on patients. From negative innovation and the…
In 1959, Volvo engineer Nils Bohlin perfected the three-point safety belt, and Volvo immediately made the technology available for all to use for free. Millions of lives have been saved through this discovery and availability. Unfortunately, in the US, the…
Drug shortages reached a record high in April of 2024 and have been affecting many Americans for the past few years. The experience of going in to pick up your medication and being told it is out of stock can…
Drug shortages have become a constant theme recently, with the number of drugs listed on shortage at a record high. Currently, 323 drugs are actively in short supply, the highest level since the medication shortages began to be tracked back…
82% of Americans say that prescription drug prices are unreasonable, which makes it no surprise that both state and federal legislatures are increasingly focusing on the problem of prescription drug pricing and seeking ways to regulate PBMs in order to…
Pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) have recently come under pressure from proposed federal legislation as Congress attempts to tackle high prescription drug prices. While the proposed legislation did not make it into the funding bill in March, advocates maintain that they…
Specialty drugs now account for almost 50% of overall drug costs for a plan, highlighting a burgeoning crisis for employers who must find ways to contain and control this cost. As a consequence, a growing number of employers — now…
One of the key responsibilities of a Pharmacy Benefit Company (PBM) is to negotiate prices with drug manufacturers for the benefit of the employer and their employees. With 85% of the nation’s pharmacy benefits controlled by only three PBMs who…
All eyes are on the Johnson and Johnson case right now regarding potential employer mismanagement of drug benefit dollars. The case focuses on high-cost “specialty generics” overcharging the plan, formulary restrictions favoring high-dollar rebate drugs, and the role of HR…