A specialist British pharmaceutical wholesaler has published a white paper that explores the global challenges of access to, and delivery of, speciality medicines. In particular it looks at the unique challenges and solutions for the industry in terms of demand, access and supply.
The paper has been released by Chapper healthcare ahead of this year’s World Orphan Drug Congress USA, taking place in Washington between 25 - 27th April 2018.
Over the last decade many pharma companies have moved from mass market drug development to investing in niche speciality medicines. This is good news for patients with rare diseases, however, high development costs and lower patient numbers mean the products may not be accessible to all patients due to cost.
“The rise of specialty treatments for chronic, complex and rare conditions has seen many breakthrough treatments being brought to market and offering new hope to patients,” said Jonathan Chapper, CEO of Chapper healthcare.
“However, while each of the last 10 years has seen greater spending growth for specialty medicines than their more traditional counterparts, market access has become more complex. Smaller sizes of potential patient populations can often lead to sky high price tags for many of the newer drugs, and this has prompted patients and carers to look for more immediate solutions to help them obtain vital treatments.”
Within the paper, th company outlines the approach needed to distribute speciality medicines and the challenges of operating within Europe, including the impact of a post-Brexit European Union.
It also highlights the benefits of Managed Access Programmes (MAPs), and how they could help get drugs to patients faster by providing access to treatments in countries where commercialisation may not be viable or where a formal licence has yet to be issued.
The shift from blockbuster to niche has operated in parallel with the rise of the empowered patient, and increasingly, fund-raising patient advocates which adds further complexity to the landscape. The paper examines this along with the impact of the digital landscape on the consumer.
To download a complimentary copy of the white paper, visit https://bit.ly/2HaVqcO
