Pharmacy Benefits Management

Script Care, Ltd. is the longest operating privately held Pharmacy Benefit Manager in the industry/market. Since 1986, SCL has developed customized pharmacy programs for customers. We have succeeded in conserving limited financial resources of our...

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What can you do when managing prescription costs is as complicated as the specialty conditions they treat?

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Researchers Develop an Oral Vaccine Against Salmonella

Previously effective as an injection in mice exposed to fatal doses of salmonella, the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston has now modified the vaccine so that it can be administered orally, along the same path that the bacteria uses to enter the body. Though, currently, effectiveness has only been tested in mice, the vaccine is a promising advancement as concerns of antibiotic resistance and potential use as a bioweapon grow.

Read the article about it here: https://drugstorenewsce.com/editorial-news-item/5/12353

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Novo’s Pricing Pledge is a Sign of More to Come

Novo Nordisk is joining Allergen in committing to capping its prices with a promise to limit annual individual drug cost increases to 10%. Likely prompting the move is an aggressive price war between other diabetes manufacturers, compounded with Novo Nordisk’s limited alternative revenue streams compared to its competitors. In addition to the cap, Novo Nordisk is also investigating value based pricing for its newest round of insulin drugs. Together, these two strategies will likely stave off political criticism and position the company more favorably for payers and PBMs.

Read the article about it here: www.bloomberg.com

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Holiday Food Safety

Foodsafety.gov is hoping to remind everyone responsible for food preparation of the key components to food safety. In addition to washing all fruits and vegetables, wash your hands, surfaces and utensils prior to, and intermittently during, food prep; avoid washing raw meat and eggs prior to cooking. Further, they highlight the importance of avoiding cross contamination between raw meat, poultry and eggs with other food items. Finally, make sure that all food is cooked to a safe temperature and leftovers are refrigerated promptly.

Get more info here.

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CMS Official Says Drug Costs are ‘Unsustainable’ and There are ‘Too Many Bad Actors’

Andy Slavitt, the acting administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), made a dramatic appeal to the industry, reiterating the need to curtail costs. Quoting statistics regarding the substantial current and projected growth trends, Slavitt voiced concerns that the Medicare program will not be able to keep up with the looming cost increases. Arguments that innovation will stop if funding is decreased or that critics are not accounting for the value of medicine were rejected; Slavitt pointed to the fact that for a cost increase to be feasible, another cost burden must decrease – and that has yet to be seen in most instances.

Read Stat News’ article on it here.

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Is the U.S. is Standing in the Way of Cheaper Drugs?

In response to recommendations from a UN commissioned panel aimed at reducing the costs of drugs, world-wide, the US government called the information presented ‘flawed’ and accused the panel of suggesting measures that would severely restrict future drug innovation. Experts, however, point out that the current system is largely ineffective – treatments for many of the currently underserved conditions would not be profitable for the drug companies and, therefore, receive little attention during development. The panel suggests that incentives must be provided for research and development, separate from manufacturers in order to spur innovation without giving more power to the drug makers.

Read the NY Times article about it here.

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Will Docs Prescribe the New RA Biosimilars?

Article Summary: There are currently three approved biosimilars meant to treat rheumatoid arthritis and, while its commonly accepted that biosimilars will be an important piece in helping to control the cost of specialty drugs, the actual impact these drugs will have remains unclear. Acceptance will be highly dependent on the FDA classifying the drugs as “interchangeable.” Further, actual cost impacts will likely not be realized immediately upon release, as most prescribers are unlikely to change therapy for a patient if it has already proven successful. Lastly, it is still unknown to what extent insurers will cover drugs coming from an unproven distribution chain.

You can read DrugTopics’ article on it here.

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‘YOU ASKED FOR IT’ - Congress Railed on the Maker of EpiPen

Heather Bresch, the CEO of the company responsible for the recent EpiPen price hike, was called before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee late last month. Although Bresch acknowledged that their decision to raise prices caused hardships on consumers, any accusation of the profitability of the price hike was denied. She was also unable to provide specific details around Mylan’s patient assistance programs, revenues and supposed medical cost savings. Doug Throckmorton, a deputy director of the FDA, was also present as the recipient to criticisms over the onerous and complicated approval policies of the Administration.

Read Business Insider’s article on it here.

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What the New Biosimilar Means for U.S. Healthcare

Evidence of the imminent market presence of biosimilars continues to grow, with the FDA granting approval for a third drug at the end of last month. The predicted savings from these growing treatment alternatives range between $57 and $110 billion in the next four years. Experts warn that approval must be complimented by the future decisions regarding cost and interchangeability factors to ensure these savings projections are achieved. The newest approval, Sandoz’ Eralzi, will compete against Amgen’s Enbrel for those patients with rheumatoid arthritis, plaque psoriasis, etc. Amgen has filed a lawsuit against Sandoz, likely delaying the ultimate release of the new drug.

Read Drug Topics’ article on it here.

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Article: Laws To Shed Light On Drug Pricing Strategies Probably Won’t Work

As the debate over drug pricing shows no sign of stalling, and without any Federal action, the responsibility of reigning in consumer costs is being taken up by the States. And while many legislatures have seen bills with cost containment goals (Vermont was the first to pass one of these bills into law) many attempts have fallen to the wayside. Further, critics suggest that bills requiring drug manufacturers to open their books are simply political posturing; lawmakers appearing to be “doing something” for the voters, while fully understanding that increased transparency will have little effect on actual costs. Drug manufacturers, however, are working diligently to strike these bills down – indicating, at least some, concern of the potential consequences new reporting requirements might have on their operations.

Read Ed Silverman’s (of STAT News’ Pharmalot) article on it here.

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Discussing the Importance of Including Purpose of Medication on Prescriptions

An article, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, is proposing the importance of explaining the purpose of medications to the patients for which they are prescribed, a practice that, according the authors, is rarely seen in the physician’s office. The authors suggest that including these explanations would reduce errors in prescribing and dispensing; increase adherence, while also providing a vehicle for patients to question new prescriptions; increase the use of lower cost/more effective therapeutic alternatives; and make treatment paths more visible to parties. The US Agency for HealthCare Research and Quality is providing funding for a three-year project to overcome the barriers associated with providing this information to patients.

Read Medical News Today’s coverage on it here.

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Is your PBM proven?

WE ARE. Visit Script Care's website to learn more about who WE ARE. www.scriptcare.com/WeAre.cfm

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Theranos CEO’s 2 Year Ban Leaves Few Options to Save Startup

After investigations by the Wall Street Journal, the US Securities and Exchange Commission, the US Attorney’s Office and federal and state health regulators revealed quality control issues that jeopardized patient health, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) revoked the blood testing company, Theranos’, key lab certificate, imposed monetary penalties, cancelled federal payments and banned Elizabeth Holmes, the CEO, from owning or operating a lab for two years. The sanctions came after Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. dissolved their partnership with the company. While Theranos has 60 days to appeal the decision, beginning on July 12, the company was fined $10,000 per day that the identified Newark lab deficiencies were not corrected. The company is also facing three class-action lawsuits for fraud and false advertising.

Read to Bloomberg article about it here.

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CDC Panel Recommends Against Using FluMist Vaccine

Although it has been approved for use by people between the ages of 2 and 49 by the FDA, the inhaled flu vaccine, FluMist, has not proven to be an effective alternative to the injectable version. Initial testing actually showed FluMist, which uses active, though weakened, versions of the virus, as being more effective in children under the age of 8; but review of the past flu seasons have not followed suit. Experts have no explanation as to why the nasal inhalant lost efficacy and is working with the manufacturer, MedImmune, to determine possible causes.

Read CNN’s coverage on it here.

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Dogs Test Drug Aimed At Humans' Biggest Killer: Age

A drug offering promising benefits in aging mice, including improved heart health and delayed disease onset, is now being tested on dogs. Preliminary results of the trials show no obvious side effects and improved heart efficacy. This new approach to fight aging, targeting overall biology instead of individual conditions, is not a widely-accepted direction in medical research. This lack of a foothold causes issues in funding; in addition to already established foundations and government initiatives, donations are easier to commandeer from individuals affected by specific disease versus general “old age.” Critics also point out that diverting funds away from serious diseases that are not necessarily tied to the age of the affected to living longer is a selfish endeavor.

Read NY Times’ article about it here.

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Shortages of Essential Emergency Care Drugs Increase, Study Finds

Despite a 2012 law providing the FDA regulatory power to combat drug shortages, availability of acute-care medications (including those for pain, cardiovascular complications, and saline/electrolyte products) has not improved. (The law has lead to decline in active shortages for non-acute care drugs for the first time in 2004.) ER doctors rely on these acute-care medications to provide immediate treatment for admitted patients; shortages force them to use a drug with which they are less familiar and is a potentially a less effective option.

Read the Kaiser Health News coverage on it here.