Survey shows specialty docs favor specialty pharmacies for unique drugs

The Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) said a recent survey found that New York’s specialty physicians are highly satisfied with their specialty pharmacies and do not think most drugstores have the ability to provide specialty medications to patients.

The survey, conducted by North Star Opinion Research, showed that only 2 percent of specialty physicians were confident that all drugstores could provide specialty drugs and 23 percent said most could, while 65 percent said some could and 4 percent said none could.

North Star surveyed 400 specialists in cardiology, neurology, gastroenterology, endocrinology, rheumatology, nephrology, infectious disease, oncology, pulmonology and hematology specialties who prescribe specialty medications.

The survey results run counter to “any willing specialty pharmacy” legislation that would force public and private payers to contract with any drugstore to provide complex specialty medications, regardless of its qualifications.

A new study also found this legislation could increase prescription drug costs by $400 million in 2016 and $6 billion over the next 10 years.

PCMA President and CEO Mark Merritt said it's wrong to make public and private employers contract with drugstores that aren't qualified to provide complex specialty medications.

Specialty pharmacies lower drug costs by promoting generics, reducing medication errors, and administering biologic medicines that can be injected or delivered intravenously.