Specialty Medications

Specialty pharmacy involves medications that are high in cost and have high complexity. A number of these medications are used for complex disease states such as cancer or multiple sclerosis. A new wave of specialty medications that are used for various genetic conditions have recently been one of the main focuses of specialty medications.

Although these medications can be life-saving, they also come at a high cost. These medications can put a huge financial burden on patients and their families.

The cost of these medications is one of the causes of noncompliance. Many patients rely on drug company coupons or financial assistance programs to help them with cost, but cost is not the only burden that patients have.

Several specialty medications require monitoring and set requirements such as a monthly pregnancy test, that the patient must adhere to in order to continue to take the medication. These frequent doctors office visits can be a burden to patients. They may need to take time away from work or home, or they might not have access to transportation.

Insurance companies are another burden for patients using these high cost medications. Reimbursements and prior authorization issues can cause the patients a lot of stress that can negatively impact their health.

As the cost of drugs on the market increases there is a need for better management for specialty medications. Pharmacist and other healthcare providers play a key role in providing these patients with the medications and care they need. They also provide the patients with emotional support to help them cope with the number of burdens that come with specialty medications.