Advertise on podcast: Pharmacy Podcast Network

The NASP's Annual Meeting and Expo has evolved into the first annual inSPire!   inSPire is the one week each year where innovation, networking, Specialty Pharmacy expertise, insights, research, and education come together to empower, educate, and connect our community.     Join host Todd Eury, Founder and CEO of the Pharmacy Podcast Network as he covers this event LIVE in Nation Harbor, Maryland.   Thank you to our sponsor, Clearway Health! For more information of what Clearway Health can do for your pharmacy, visit https://www.clearwayhealth.com/   In today's episode, we hear from:   Allison Arant - Clearway Health Derek Dennis - Clearway Health Ben Heiser - Lumicera Chris Corsi - CassianRx Chris Mayor & Candace Ewens - Kelly Services Eric Huckins - Lumicera Norma Castaneda - Fidelis Specialty Pharmacy

This episode discusses endometriosis- what it is, how it affects women, and the treatment options available. Plus, did you know that even Dolly Parton has shared her experience with endometriosis? Tune in as Dr Nadia sheds light on this often misunderstood condition and the importance of awareness and understanding.

In this episode, Sheila Arquette, President & CEO of NASP, speaks with Mel Nelson, PharmD, CSP, Vice President, Specialty Consulting Services of Fairview Pharmacy Solutions. They discuss how the health system specialty pharmacy landscape has matured over the past decade, and why many organizations are now asking a new question: is our current operating model still the right one for where we want to go next? Mel walks through the key strategic, clinical, and financial factors health systems should evaluate when reassessing accelerator partnerships, the circumstances that might prompt a move toward insourcing capabilities, and how to protect patient care continuity through any transition. The conversation also covers how Fairview Pharmacy Solutions partners with health systems to design and execute successful transitions while building sustainable, long-term internal capability.

Sponsored by Clinigen | Love Your Pharmacist Awards   What happens when patients need critical medications, but traditional supply channels cannot deliver?   Medicine shortages, global supply disruptions, and unmet clinical needs are placing increasing pressure on healthcare systems worldwide. Behind every delayed shipment or unavailable treatment are pharmacists working tirelessly to find solutions, maintain continuity of care, and protect patients.   In this special episode of the Pharmacy Podcast Network, presented in partnership with Clinigen's Love Your Pharmacist Awards, we explore the essential role pharmacists play in overcoming barriers to medicine access across the United States and Europe.   Our featured guests bring unique perspectives on the challenges and innovations shaping global pharmaceutical access:   Alfred L'Altrelli – Chief Pharmacy Officer, Memorial Medical Center Las Cruces, and recipient of the 2026 Love Your Pharmacist Awards Lifetime Achievement Award. With nearly three decades of pharmacy leadership, Alfred has pioneered initiatives to improve medication safety, expand clinical pharmacy services, and strengthen healthcare access for underserved communities.   Louise Morshead – Pharmacist and Portfolio Director at Clinigen, based in the United Kingdom. Louise brings expertise in navigating global medicine supply challenges, working with suppliers and healthcare stakeholders to help address unmet patient needs.   In This Episode:   Why medicine shortages and supply disruptions continue to challenge healthcare systems worldwide. How hospital pharmacists navigate medication access barriers while protecting patient safety. What happens when essential medicines are unavailable through conventional supply channels. The importance of international collaboration, innovative sourcing strategies, and continuity-of-care planning. How pharmacists in the United States and Europe are adapting to increasingly complex medicine supply networks. Why recognizing pharmacy leadership is essential to advancing patient-centered healthcare.   Pharmacists are more than medication experts. They are problem-solvers, patient advocates, and an essential connection between pharmaceutical supply and patient care.   Join us for an international conversation celebrating the pharmacists who go above and beyond to ensure patients aren't left behind when access becomes a challenge.   Presented by Clinigen and the Love Your Pharmacist Awards, in partnership with the Pharmacy Podcast Network.   Amplifying the Voice of Pharmacy.   #PharmacyPodcast #Clinigen #LoveYourPharmacist #MedicationShortages #MedicineAccess #HospitalPharmacy #PatientSafety #PharmacyLeadership #GlobalHealthcare #Pharmacists

The NASP's Annual Meeting and Expo has evolved into the first annual inSPire!   inSPire is the one week each year where innovation, networking, Specialty Pharmacy expertise, insights, research, and education come together to empower, educate, and connect our community.     Join host Todd Eury, Founder and CEO of the Pharmacy Podcast Network as he covers this event LIVE in Nation Harbor, Maryland.   Thank you to our sponsors! HendrenAI: https://hendren.ai/ First Databank: https://www.fdbhealth.com/ Clearway Health: https://www.clearwayhealth.com/   In today's episode, we hear from: Jennifer Noonan - Accessia Health Maggie Gahn - Andel Matt Savard - Plenful Maya Hajizada - Rx2Go Mei Tang - Two Trees Consulting Michael Depaz - Clarventa Lumicera Michael Heimall - HealthWell Foundation

The NASP's Annual Meeting and Expo has evolved into the first annual inSPire!   inSPire is the one week each year where innovation, networking, Specialty Pharmacy expertise, insights, research, and education come together to empower, educate, and connect our community.     Join host Todd Eury, Founder and CEO of the Pharmacy Podcast Network as he covers this event LIVE in Nation Harbor, Maryland.   Thank you to our sponsor, HendrenAI! For more information of what HendrenAI can do for your pharmacy, visit https://hendren.ai/   In today's episode, we hear from: John Boos - HendrenAI Andy Crawford - Keysource Brandon & Jonathan Ogurhchak Dustin Eubanks Plenful Jennifer Iverson & Peter Bergen - AcariaHealth

Most people spend more time researching a new phone than reviewing their Medicare plan. But with benefits, costs, and pharmacy networks changing every year, staying in the same plan could mean paying more than you need to. In this episode, experts from Outcomes and Healthpilot break down Medicare in simple terms, explain why annual plan reviews matter, and discuss the key changes coming in 2027 that could affect healthcare and prescription costs. You'll walk away knowing what to discuss with your patients and why it matters.

In this special "Off Script" episode of CPhT Connect, host Mike Johnston, CPhT-Adv, goes solo to speak directly to pharmacists, owners, managers, and anyone who builds the schedule. With World Pharmacy Technician Day coming up on Tuesday, October 20th, Mike shares what technicians told NPTA when asked one question: what would make you feel seen? Last year, 47% of technicians said no one recognized Pharmacy Technician Day at all, and Mike argues that recognition matters for retention, not just for being nice. Drawing on real responses from NPTA members, Mike explains why technicians aren't asking for a party. They're asking their employers to notice. He breaks their answers into two buckets: free recognition that costs only attention and recognition that costs something real, like pay that tracks the credentials, training, and responsibility they carry. Mike also speaks candidly to independent pharmacy owners working with thin margins, and closes with a simple three-step plan to use before October 20th. In this episode, we discuss: * It's a Noticing Problem, Not a Pizza Problem: Why the typical Tech Day pizza party is too generic to feel personal and too small to change anything, and why food showed up last on technicians' wish lists. * Bucket One: Recognition That Costs Nothing: What technicians said noticing looks like in their own words: don't cookie-cutter the appreciation, be fair, celebrate when they hit the goal, and see the work nobody sees. * Bucket Two: Recognition That Costs Something: Why technicians want pay that reflects their credentials, training, and responsibilities, and why keeping a tech is almost always cheaper than replacing one. * The Hidden Cost of Unused Skills: How training that sits on a shelf creates a morale problem, a retention problem, and a skill you paid for and never used, and why letting techs use what they learn may be the loudest recognition there is. * A Three-Step Plan Before October 20th: Write a specific sticky note for every technician, ask each one what would make them feel seen, and say it out loud to the whole team on Tech Day, then keep going on the 21st with one specific sentence to one tech every week. About Our Host: Mike Johnston, CPhT-Adv, is the founder and CEO of NPTA and founder of BPTS. He has owned his own company since 1999 and has spent more than 25 years helping thousands of pharmacy technicians grow their careers. This episode is part of CPhT Connect's partnership with the Pharmacy Podcast Network. Listen now at CPhTConnect.com to hear why one sentence is all it takes to show a technician you notice them. For free planning resources, visit RxTechDay.org, and to learn more about making recognition a year-round habit, explore the new Rx Team Builder program at cpht.org/employers

Cell and gene therapy has entered a new phase. The science is advancing rapidly, but the harder question is increasingly becoming: How do we actually get these therapies to the right patient, at the right treatment center, with the financing, logistics, clinical support, and follow-up required?   That is the problem McKesson is trying to address through InspiroGene, its dedicated cell-and-gene commercialization business. McKesson built InspiroGene to connect manufacturers, payers, providers, treatment centers and patients across the CGT journey. McKesson   1. McKesson: Building the infrastructure around the therapy   A major area of focus for Joe and McKesson is what happens after a therapy proves clinically viable.   In 2026, Joe DePinto and Biologics by McKesson outlined the need for patient hubs purpose-built specifically for cell and gene therapies. These are more complex than conventional specialty-drug hubs because CGT may involve eligibility screening, treatment-center coordination, benefit investigation, financial assistance, scheduling, logistics, long-term follow-up and caregiver support. McKesson Biologics   McKesson has also developed an interactive map covering qualified treatment centers across 109 U.S. metropolitan regions, addressing another fundamental problem: patients may need to travel significant distances to receive CGT. McKesson   Question for Joe: “Joe, the scientific breakthrough gets most of the headlines, but is the bigger challenge now building the infrastructure that allows a patient to actually receive the therapy?”   Follow-up: “Where do you currently see the biggest friction — reimbursement, treatment-center capacity, logistics, patient identification, or ongoing follow-up?” 2. FDA is actively trying to speed cell and gene therapy development   FDA has made a noticeable regulatory shift in 2026.   In June, FDA issued draft guidance allowing gene-therapy developers to rely more heavily on existing platform knowledge and prior scientific information, potentially reducing redundant testing for products using similar genome-editing technologies. FDA has also issued guidance providing more flexibility around chemistry, manufacturing and controls for CGT products. U.S. Food and Drug Administration   FDA says it has now approved close to 50 cell and gene therapies, signaling that CGT is moving well beyond a small experimental category. U.S. Food and Drug Administration   TWIRx takeaway: The regulatory conversation is shifting from “Can we safely approve these therapies?” toward “How do we safely accelerate an entire therapeutic platform?”

A patient's copay unexpectedly jumped to nearly $500. Upon investigation, it was discovered his plan design had changed, penalizing him for using our pharmacy. He was now facing higher costs or needing to switch to a chain or mail-order pharmacy.

The NASP's Annual Meeting and Expo has evolved into the first annual inSPire!   inSPire is the one week each year where innovation, networking, Specialty Pharmacy expertise, insights, research, and education come together to empower, educate, and connect our community.     Join host Todd Eury, Founder and CEO of the Pharmacy Podcast Network as he covers this event LIVE in Nation Harbor, Maryland.   Thank you to our sponsor, First Databank! For more information of what FDB can do for your pharmacy, visit https://www.fdbhealth.com/   In today's episode, we hear from: Dr Stephen Miller, MD - First Databank Angela Johnston - First Databank Bonnie Duggie - VytleOne Christine Tang Wilson - Lumicera Heather Bonome - URAC Heidi Polek - Outcomes Amit Gir - Phox Health

Peptides. Animal-derived thyroid products. The perils of not documenting enough. A new recommendation for state regulation. And more. Besides the most interesting (and important) news from the pharmacy compounding world, this episode we’ve got a deep dive into the unique tax issues compounders face — which can be pretty darned daunting. Links from the episode APC issue brief on peptide compounding (two-page PDF): https://fllw.me/47mZu7b Citizen petition to FDA on compounding ADT (83-page (!) PDF): https://fllw.me/3VeA9tw FDA’s proposed GFI 256B — info and a chance to comment: https://www.regulations.gov/search?searchTerm=FDA-2018-D-4533 APC’s exclusive processing rates: https://apcpayments.com NABP’s model pharmacy act: https://nabp.pharmacy/members/board-resources/model-pharmacy-act-rules/ Sykes & Company Pharmacy Accounting Services: https://www.sykes-cpa.com/compounding-pharmacy-services

My guest today bridges science and spirit, guiding clients toward embodied transformation, inner peace, and expanded consciousness. She affirms that everything you need is all within you, and you can learn to access it using various tools.I was so moved by her journey and multidimensional work, and I know you will love this episode as much as I do! Kathy Orah Sionit Shahkoohi is a licensed psychotherapist, master hypnotherapist, and intuitive healer with private practices in both Great Neck and Brooklyn, New York. She holds a Master’s degree in Social Work from the Wurzweiler School of Social Work (2008) and brings over 15 years of experience in trauma healing and somatic therapy. Kathy specializes in integrative trauma work, blending psychotherapy with somatic techniques, hypnotherapy, and spiritual healing modalities. As a certified master hypnotherapist, she focuses deeply on helping clients heal from early childhood wounds, anxiety, and subconscious patterning. She is also trained in Clarity Breathwork, a gentle yet profound somatic process that she offers to both individuals and groups for emotional release and nervous system regulation. Kathy regularly facilitates workshops on meditation, self-hypnosis, and inner healing across the country. In addition to her clinical work, Kathy holds sacred healing spaces through cacao ceremonies and psychedelic journeys, offering both preparation and integration support. Email: [email protected] Website: innerlighttherapy.us IG: https://www.instagram.com/Kathysionit/ Visit https://marinabuksov.com for more holistic content. Music from https://www.purple-planet.com. Disclaimer: Statements herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products listed are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases.

This is part one of a two part conversation with Terry Wilcox, Co-Founder and CEO of Patients Rising. Find out what Patients Rising is doing for advocacy and change to better our patients by visiting https://www.patientsrising.org/about-patients-rising

This week on TWIRx, we head into NCPA 2026 with independent community pharmacy front and center — from artificial intelligence and consolidation to supply-chain economics and policy reform.   We start with the TWIRx Rumor Mill — Behind the Counter Intelligence, looking at three developing stories worth watching.   TWIRx RUMOR MILL — TOP 3   1. Another massive pharmacy transaction may be coming.   The owner of Walgreens Boots Alliance is reportedly nearing a deal to sell UK pharmacy giant Boots to the Weston family in a transaction valued at roughly $9 billion, including debt. The Weston interests already control Loblaw Companies and Shoppers Drug Mart in Canada. No final transaction has been announced, so this remains one to watch.   TWIRx Take: Pharmacy consolidation isn't slowing down. As major organizations continue reorganizing, buying, selling, and vertically integrating assets, what does that mean for independent pharmacy — and where does scale become too much scale?     2. Specialty pharmacy keeps getting bigger — and Cigna sees an enormous opportunity.   At its 2026 Investor Day, Cigna identified a specialty pharmacy and care-services market approaching $500 billion, with Accredo and its specialty operations positioned as major growth drivers.   TWIRx Take: Follow the money. Specialty drugs, rare disease, biologics, infusion and complex medication management continue to reshape pharmacy economics. The question for community pharmacy is: How much of this expanding market can independents capture?   3. AI is moving from pharmacy experiment to pharmacy infrastructure.   Just as NCPA prepares to make AI implementation one of the major topics at its 2026 Annual Convention, health-profession regulators are increasingly discussing governance and accountability surrounding AI. NCPA's programming includes real-world AI implementation and operational applications for community pharmacies.   TWIRx Take: The conversation is changing from "Should pharmacy use AI?" to "How do we use it responsibly, profitably and safely?"   And that takes us directly into our first featured conversation.   SEGMENT 1 John Boos, PharmD, MBA — HendrenAI AI Meets Independent Community Pharmacy   Sponsored by HendrenAI and Independent Pharmacy Cooperative   NCPA 2026 officially opens October 3 in Kansas City, with independent pharmacy owners and innovators gathering to focus on practical ways to increase efficiency, expand services and strengthen pharmacy profitability. AI implementation is specifically among this year's featured topics.   In Part One of our conversation with John Boos, PharmD, MBA of HendrenAI, we set the stage for NCPA 2026 and examine what artificial intelligence can realistically do for independent pharmacy.   This isn't AI replacing the pharmacist.   It's AI giving pharmacists and their teams additional capacity.   As margins tighten and workload continues to increase, the pharmacies that intelligently automate routine work may be able to redirect valuable human time toward the things pharmacists do best: patients, clinical care, relationships and growing the business.   SEGMENT 2 Yvonne Dominguez — Independent Pharmacy Cooperative IPC Acquires IntegralRx   Independent Pharmacy Cooperative recently announced its acquisition of IntegralRx, bringing together two organizations serving independent community pharmacies.   IntegralRx has supported thousands of pharmacies through purchasing opportunities, service and pharmacy relationships. IPC says the acquisition will expand access to products, services and resources designed to help pharmacy owners remain competitive and profitable.   We talk with Yvonne Dominguez about:   Why IPC made the acquisition What IntegralRx brings to the cooperative What changes — and what stays the same — for IntegralRx pharmacies How scale can strengthen independent pharmacy purchasing power Why independent pharmacies increasingly need collaboration without surrendering their independence   TWIRx Question: Can cooperatives create enough collective scale to give independent pharmacies some of the economic leverage enjoyed by vertically integrated competitors?   SEGMENT 3 David A. Hargraves — CEO, Pharma Logistics Jessica Daley — Industry Intelligence Pharmacy Supply Chain: Fighting for Every Dollar   Finally, we turn to an issue that doesn't always generate headlines but directly affects pharmacy profitability:   What happens to medication inventory after a pharmacy can no longer use it?   Pharmacies continue to face significant economic pressure, and many of the largest forces affecting reimbursement remain outside the direct control of the pharmacy owner.   But there are areas pharmacies — and policymakers — can change.   One is pharmaceutical return policy.   The Problem   Pharmacy economics are being squeezed from multiple directions.   Reimbursement pressure. Inventory expense. Expired medication. Operational costs. Supply-chain complexity.   When margins are razor thin, seemingly small inefficiencies become substantial.   The Opportunity   Medication return policies represent an area where pharmacies may have an opportunity to recover value that otherwise disappears from the business.   Virginia's regulations, for example, specifically address circumstances under which drugs can be returned within the supply chain while maintaining appropriate storage conditions, documentation and product integrity.   The Bigger Conversation   With David A. Hargraves, CEO of Pharma Logistics, and Jessica Daley of Industry Intelligence, we examine how smarter pharmaceutical returns and responsible policy reform could improve pharmacy economics.   Closing Thought   As we head into NCPA 2026, the independent pharmacy conversation isn't simply about surviving another difficult year.   It's about finding leverage.   Leverage through AI.   Leverage through cooperative scale.   Leverage through better supply-chain economics.   And leverage through policy change.   Independent pharmacy may not control every economic force affecting the profession — but this week's TWIRx demonstrates that there are still areas where pharmacy owners, innovators and advocates can take action.   We'll see you in Kansas City for NCPA 2026.