October is American Pharmacists Month ꟷ a celebration of the invaluable work done by pharmacists and the vital role that they play in society. So, go hug your favorite pharmacist! [Wait a second. Check that. It may not be appropriate.]
How about we just take a moment to reflect on and appreciate the pharmacists who have played important roles in our lives. For me, that means giving a shout-out to Kelly Prymicz and Lucia Vescera ꟷ two PharmDs that I am so grateful to be able to work with each day.
If you’re one of our clients, I am guessing you’re grateful for Kelly and/or Lucia too. They are amazing professionals who help you better manage your prescription drug programs.
It helps that they know how to pronounce drug names properly and can easily explain what they’re used for. But they also work with best-in-class specialty PBMs to understand how expensive new drugs clinically and economically compare to other therapeutic options – enabling our clients to make decisions with the confidence that their people will get the drugs they need at the right time, right dose, right quantity, right location, and best price available.
Remember, the FDA only determines if a drug is likely to provide more benefit than harm. It doesn’t consider at all if a drug is worse or better than its therapeutic alternatives, or if its cost is remotely reasonable. What to cover and when? What not to cover and why? In a market full of direct-to-consumer marketing, rebate-chasing and copay assistance, I sure am grateful Kelly and Lucia are here to provide our clients with unbiased clinical advice.