Anti-Generic Lipitor® Deal Raises Familiar Questions about Pharmacy Benefit Managers

A recent report in The New York Times over alleged efforts to stymie generic drug use should raise questions among health care plan sponsors, policymakers and patients regarding pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), the proposed mega merger of PBMs Express Scripts-Medco and the coming wave of generic drugs.

In Merger Bid, Express Scripts-Medco Present a Deceptive ‘Pharmacist’ Front

By B. Douglas Hoey, RPh, MBA

Express Scripts and Medco recently trotted out their staff pharmacists before Congress in full-page ads and in person as the face of their proposed mega-merger, essentially swapping out CEO suits for white coats. It turns out to be another case of the PBM rhetoric not matching the reality.

On Capitol Hill, Expert Pharmacist Urges Greater Pharmacy Benefit Manager Transparency to Reduce Costs

By Kevin Schweers

A one-time pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) executive walked Congress through controversial tricks of the PBM trade this week as part of NCPA’s continuing efforts to educate policymakers, health plan sponsors and interested patients on how to maximize prescription drug dollars while protecting consumers’ choice of pharmacy.

Prescription Drug Shortages are Affecting Community Pharmacists and their Patients, Too

By John Coster, RPh, PhD

President Obama’s event this week highlighted and escalated what have been bipartisan efforts to combat the proliferation of prescription drug shortages. Such efforts are welcome because, while to date these shortages primarily affect hospital pharmacies, they have also negatively impacted community pharmacists and their patients.