Drug Channels delivers timely analysis and provocative opinions from Adam J. Fein, Ph.D., the country's foremost expert on pharmaceutical economics and the drug distribution system. Drug Channels reaches an engaged, loyal and growing audience of more than 100,000 subscribers and followers. Learn more...
Today’s guest post comes from George Moore, Chief Product and Technology Officer at CareMetx.
George argues that customer relationship management (CRM) program customization delivers short-term workflow gains at the expense of long-term scalability, integration simplicity, and upgradeability. He highlights three common pitfalls and offers an approach on how to avoid them.
Below, we share our proprietary analyses of the specialty market’s participants. DCI identified more than 1,900 pharmacy locations that have achieved specialty pharmacy accreditation from one of the two major independent accreditation organizations.
Despite growing revenues from specialty drugs, overall growth in accredited pharmacies has plateaued. However, pharmacy locations owned by healthcare providers—hospitals, health systems, physician practices, and other healthcare providers—continue to expand and now account for nearly 40% of all accredited specialty pharmacy locations.
Read on for a bit of our arithmomania. Because in specialty pharmacy, what gets counted reveals who really counts.
Today’s guest post comes from Cindy Baksh, Chief Product Officer at ConnectiveRx.
Cindy explains that many gross-to-net (GTN) exposures now occur at the claim level, where evolving payer tactics, pharmacy economics, and copay complexity create unpredictable leakage. She argues that manufacturers must augment downstream review with real-time visibility and intervention to protect both revenue and patient access.
Spring has officially arrived at Drug Channels' worldwide headquarters in beautiful downtown Philadelphia. (Photo proof at right.) So, dive into this month’s curated crop of noteworthy news:
Today’s guest post comes from Laura Jensen, Chief Commercial Officer and President, Pharma Direct at GoodRx.
Laura suggests that manufacturers must move beyond payer-centric models toward integrated, direct-to-consumer and employer channel strategies that connect pricing, demand, and fulfillment. She argues that this approach will help manufacturers convert patient intent into therapy initiation while expanding access at scale.
Minnesota’s new 340B data reveal a growing disconnect between the program’s size and the value Minnesotans receive in return.
In 2024, nonprofit hospitals generated more than $1.3 billion in 340B net profits—nearly a billion dollars more than they provided in uncompensated care. At the same time, these same institutions already benefit from substantial tax exemptions tied to their not-for-profit status and charitable mission.
The gap between 340B profits and charity care isn’t a rounding error or a one-off anomaly. The 340B Drug Pricing Program has evolved into a significant profit center for hospital systems. This is another layer on top of existing public subsidies, not a substitute for them.
As you’ll see below, our analysis describes a 340B program that generates financial gains far in excess of any contribution back to the people of the state. There is also no clear accountability for how those dollars are used.
Drug Channels Institute’s (DCI’s) latest analysis reveals that PBM-affiliated specialty pharmacies continue to dominate the dispensing of specialty drugs.
For 2025, DCI has identified more than 1,900 dispensing locations with specialty pharmacy accreditation from one or both of the two major independent accreditation organizations. The overall number of accredited locations grew by only 3% in 2025, but is more than five times larger than the 2015 figure.
However, market share for the dispensing of specialty drugs remains highly concentrated. For 2025, the three largest specialty pharmacies accounted for two-thirds of total prescription revenues from pharmacy-dispensed specialty drugs. These businesses are all owned by vertically integrated organizations that also own a PBM.
Below, we share DCI’s latest analysis of the top 15 specialty pharmacies, including updated market shares and revenue estimates, highlighting how vertical integration and channel control continue to reshape specialty dispensing. Despite growth in accredited locations, economic power remains concentrated among a small group of PBM-affiliated entities.
Next week, the DCI team will be attending Asembia’s AXS26 Summit in fabulous Las Vegas. Please say hello if you see us!
Today’s guest post comes from Karishma Desai, Associate Director of Data Strategy at Claritas Rx.
Karishma explains how the complexities of specialty therapies require a customer relationship management (CRM) system that unifies consent management. She goes on to explain that by embedding AI into the patient journey, automating workflows at scale, and enhancing collaboration among stakeholders, organizations can reduce delays, improve adherence, and deliver better patient outcomes.
Today’s guest post comes from Brok Vandersteen, Vice President of Business Development at AssistRx.
Brok explains how missteps during patient support program transitions—ranging from service disruptions to data misalignment—can undermine access, adherence, and brand trust. He describes best practices organizations can use to ensure a smooth transition while protecting patients, providers, and program outcomes.
It's time for Drug Channels Institute’s (DCI) annual update of vertical integration among insurers, PBMs, specialty pharmacies, and healthcare services within U.S. drug channels. As you can see below, we have updated and revised our infamous illustration of the major vertical business relationships within the largest companies.
These organizations continue to exert greater control over patient access, sites of care/dispensing, and pricing, although some have started to unwind their vertical integration strategies. Scrutiny of these companies’ actions continues to grow.
Drug Channels readers save 10% with code 26DRCH10*
Pricing & Contracting USA arrives at an important moment for our industry. As you work to navigate the evolving healthcare landscape, this annual event brings together 70+ expert speakers to lead the critical discussions that will drive comprehensive market strategy, uniting Medicaid, Policy, Pricing, Contracting & Reporting thought leaders.
Event features include:
Wholesaler/Manufacturer Team-to-Team Meet-and-Greets: Direct industry collaboration led by McKesson and Cencora.
Executive Programming: Fireside Chats with External Counsel, Closed Door Executive Strategy Summit and Luncheon.
Interactive Sessions: Speed Networking, AI Lunch and Learn
Strategic Working Groups: Medicaid Working Group Report, 80 Minute Industry Strategy Working Group.
The Hottest Topics: Get ready for coverage on Most Favored Nation (MFN) Pricing Implementation, Medicare Part B Drug Negotiations (2028 Launch), 340B Rebate Model from all stakeholder perspectives, State Medicaid Revenue Transparency Sessions, Cell & Gene Therapy Outcomes-Based Contracting, AI-Powered Pricing Scenario Planning, Direct-to-Consumer Pharma Initiatives, Chargeback Data Accuracy Impact on Rebates, What's new with GTN, GPOs, PBMs, PDABs and SPTR, Government Shutdown Policy Timeline Disruption, and so much more.
Featuring 70+ speakers from: Accord, Alkermes, AstraZeneca, Azurity, Chiesi, CMS, CSL Vifor, Genentech, Gilead, GSK, Keenova Therapeutics, Novartis, OIG, PhRMA, Sandoz, UCB and many more.
Join us where Medicaid, Commercial & Government Teams will collaborate to drive a successful market strategy! View the agenda for Pricing & Contracting USA to see the complete picture – the program, speakers, and more, and visit www.informaconnect.com/pricing-contracting-usa for further details and to register.
*Cannot be combined with other offers or used towards a current registration. Cannot be combined with special category rates or other offers. Other restrictions may apply.
The content of Sponsored Posts does not necessarily reflect the views of HMP Omnimedia, LLC, Drug Channels Institute, its parent company, or any of its employees. To find out how you can publish an event post on Drug Channels, please contact Paula Fein(paula@DrugChannels.net).
As I highlighted last week, we are entering the Net Pricing Drug Channel (NPDC) era—a market environment in which net prices, not list prices, determine access, economics, and competitive strategy. This shift represents a structural change in how value is created and captured across the U.S. drug channel.
The NPDC will:
Reward simpler pricing models
Penalize rebate-heavy strategies
Expose business models built on gross-to-net arbitrage
Force channel participants to rethink how they add value when money flows more transparently through the system
The short video below, excerpted from my recent Drug Channels Outlook 2026, explains why this shift is accelerating.
It walks through the key forces now deflating the gross-to-net bubble and explains how manufacturers and other channel participants are responding.
For more context on the emergence of the Net Pricing Drug Channel and the slowdown in the gross-to-net bubble’s growth, see these Drug Channels articles:
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