This year marks an important milestone for USP — and the entire health care sector. As we celebrate our 200th anniversary and gear up for our 2020 Convention, it’s an appropriate time to look at the work we’ve done and what lies ahead of us. From new technologies such as digital therapeutics, immunotherapy and artificial
In its infancy, specialty pharmacy truly was a niche industry serving a limited number of patients with a small number of high-cost, low-volume, chronic or complex conditions, such as hemophilia and Gaucher’s disease. Specialty pharmacies came into existence as a result of unmet needs. As more drugs derived from biotechnology with higher-than-average prescription prices became
This year kicks off major events and activities for National Council for Prescription Drug Programs that will fortify our ability to effect change at a more rapid pace and scale in the near future. We took a step back in 2019 to assess where we are as an organization, where the industry is heading, and
A new decade presents an opportunity for reflection. For Healthcare Distribution Alliance and our pharmaceutical distributor members, 2020 finds us reexamining the value our industry provides to the larger health care ecosystem while reassessing our priorities and anticipating what is around the corner. HDA captured the state of our industry, and what the future may
Our nation’s ongoing health care debates have been rancorous, a situation that’s not likely to improve in 2020 with a presidential election. Rather than make predictions in this column, this year I’m outlining a wish list for the health care sector, actions we can all take to make health care more efficient, reduce wasteful spending,
Not so long ago, people diagnosed with hepatitis C faced a lifetime of serious complications. The virus would progress slowly, and over time, could cause extensive liver damage. But that’s not the case anymore for the vast majority of patients with the disease. Thanks to medical research and innovation over the past 25 years, patients
One thing that can be said about the state of prescription medications in 2019 is that the pharmacy payment model is complex, convoluted and confusing. That’s how I began this column last year. And although some progress has been made in moving the model toward a system that better serves patients, that sentence still does
Health and well-being, including pharmacy-specific programs, is of the utmost importance to the food retail industry. Unquestionably, supermarkets are a key partner in health and well-being for the communities and customers they serve — not just because of the health and wellness programs they offer, but also due to the number of health professionals they
DEERFIELD, Ill. — During its 119-year history, a spirit of innovation has always been a part of Walgreens’ DNA — from the introduction of child-resistant prescription containers to the first drive-through pharmacy. Since the retailer merged with Alliance Boots in 2014, the evaluation and deployment of new ideas has accelerated even further, and the combined
Welcome to 2020, where, more than ever, patients and caregivers are taking control of their health care decisions and an increasing array of consumer health care products is helping them get well, stay healthy, treat minor ailments and even manage some chronic conditions. The marketplace is evolving before our eyes, including the manufacturers, who are
Biotech capital markets rebounded last year after a down year in 2018. The Nasdaq Biotechnology Index is up 24% for the year, but this is still about 5% below the gains by the rest of the market. Much of these gains are due to the perseverance of a biotech sector that delivered some transformational achievements
The year 2020 will be a tumultuous one, within health care and everywhere else. We’re a deeply divided nation, and the upcoming elections mean that things will likely get more difficult before they get easier. How the election affects pharmacy is still a major question mark — we get mixed signals across both sides of
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Since 1942, family-owned Lewis Drug has been providing shoppers in South Dakota, Iowa and Minnesota with quality prescription and over-the-counter drugs complemented by sophisticated and comprehensive front-end offerings. Through the years, despite challenges from big-box chains that have staked claims in Lewis territory — as well as the adversity the company
The public continues to name health care costs — and prescription drugs in particular — as a top priority. A recent survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation found that eight in 10 Americans say the cost of prescription drugs is unreasonable. At the same time, the value of generic medicines is well established. Consider this: