Read the Official PANTHERx Press Release.
In a landmark, non-commercial publication available for download, PANTHERx Rare Pharmacy explores the details of how changes in U.S. Federal policy and advances in scientific research have led to the dawn of medical breakthroughs for rare disorders, and how rare pharmacy has emerged distinctly from specialty pharmacy to address the unique needs of patients, biopharma, providers, and payors. The document highlights the fact that patients with rare and devastating disorders require and deserve a higher acuity of care and service that only an accredited rare pharmacy can deliver.
RATIONALE:
Over 93% of the 7,000 known rare and devastating disorders have no approved therapy, but changes in policy and advances in science have provided tremendous hope. Once explored, this noticeable gap in medicine spurred changes to legislation, encouraging manufacturers to pursue orphan drug development. This shift of focus eventually brought us to the present day, where the phrase “rare pharmacy” is garnering more attention, and the experience of some pharmacies, coupled with new accreditation standards, is creating a distinction between a specialty pharmacy and a rare pharmacy.
SYNOPSIS:
This white paper guides readers through the evolution of the rare pharmacy industry, with an in-depth analysis of the following:
1. Background on Rare Disease Medication Development – To better understand the emergence of the orphan drug market, it is necessary to review legislation and grant programs that catalyzed the development of orphan drugs tangential to traditional specialty drugs. The genesis of, and relationships between, programs such as the Orphan Drug Act, the 2012 FDA Safety and Innovation Act, The Orphan Products Clinical Trials Grants Program, The Natural History Grants Program, and The Pediatric Device Consortia (PDC) Grants Program are explored.
2. Challenges and Impact of Rare Disease – The number and diversity of industry stakeholders with unique perspectives and objectives necessitates examination of challenges faced by drug manufacturers, payors, rare disease patients, providers, and pharmacies. Each of these groups must implement resources, structures, technologies, and unique programs more encompassing than ever created before to assist patients and their families through the complex health journeys surrounding rare disease.
3. Rare Pharmacy Solutions – What makes a rare pharmacy different than a specialty pharmacy? Among a long list of tangible differentiating factors, rare pharmacies invest in the unique patient journey in more deliberate and personalized ways, provide more extensive prior authorization support and payment assistance, and utilize systematic and customizable data reporting capabilities. As the list of necessary criteria has grown, accrediting bodies have developed high standards and strict requirements for specialty pharmacies to distinguish themselves as rare pharmacies.
Learn more by downloading the entire white paper: Rare Pharmacy Emerges from Specialty (Pharmacy).
ABOUT: PANTHERx® Rare Pharmacy
PANTHERx Rare Pharmacy’s mission is to transform lives by delivering medical breakthroughs, clinical excellence, and access solutions to patients afflicted with rare and devastating conditions. PANTHERx was awarded 2018 Specialty Pharmacy of the Year by the National Association of Specialty Pharmacy. Zitter Health Insights awarded PANTHERx the Specialty Pharmacy Patient Choice Award winner for two consecutive years. PANTHERx is a finalist for the 2019 MMIT Patient Choice Award to be held on May 7, 2020. As a quad-accredited pharmacy, PANTHERx holds accreditations from URAC, NABP, ACHC, and CPPA. PANTHERx is the first and only pharmacy with an Accredited Distinction in Rare Diseases and Orphan Drugs from ACHC.