FTC Advances Study into PBM Practices and Impact on Specialty Pharmacies

WASHINGTON, DC – The National Association of Specialty Pharmacy (NASP) applauds the decision by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to proceed with its planned 6(b) study to review pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) practices, and specifically the impact vertically integrated businesses have on access to and the affordability of medications. The study is expected to review PBM use of specialty drug lists, specialty drug policies, and other practices that limit specialty pharmacy networks and steer specialty patients and drugs away from those specialty pharmacies that are not otherwise owned or affiliated by a PBM or their vertically integrated partners.

On May 25, NASP provided comments in response to the Federal Trade Commission’s Request for Information (RFI), Solicitation for Public Comments on the Business Practices of Pharmacy Benefit Managers and Their Impact on Independent Pharmacies and Consumers.

NASP urged the FTC to carefully evaluate the comments it will receive and to proceed with a study on certain contractual provisions, reimbursement adjustments, and other practices that disadvantage specialty pharmacies that are not otherwise owned by or affiliated with PBMs and health plans, and negatively impact market competition and patient access to the specialty pharmacy of their choice.

To read the NASP news release, click here.