A white paper from Pharmaceutical Strategies Group (PSG), an independent pharmacy benefits consulting firm that assists clients with designing and implementing customized pharmacy benefit management and supply chain solutions, suggests ways to control the high costs of specialty drugs.

Such drugs are typically produced through biotechnology (also known as "biologics" or "biotech"), an advanced process that uses living organisms to create vaccines or treatments that target specific diseases. However, the specialty drug marketplace also
encompasses non-biologic drugs, namely those that require special handling, administration, and intensive patient education. Whether biologic or non-biologic, all specialty drugs entail complex treatment regimens and exceptionally high costs, including in their supply chains.

Diseases frequently treated with specialty drugs today include cancer, growth hormone deficiency, bleeding and respiratory disorders, Hepatitis C, HIV/AIDS, infertility, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, pulmonary arterial hypertension, pulmonary fibrosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and others.

PSG's white paper, "Understanding Specialty Pharmacy Management and Cost Control," can be accessed through its web site.

Source: Pharmaceutical Strategies Group