PFSP has Access to Limited Distribution Drugs for the Treatment of Rheumatology
What are Limited Distribution Drugs?
Limited Distribution Drugs are categorized as medications that are exclusively distributed to a limited network of pharmacies. Limiting the distribution of a drug can benefit the manufacture, physician, patient, and pharmacy by coordinating efforts from the start of therapy and throughout treatment. Specialty Pharmacies that demonstrate a high level of standards for clinical excellence are awarded special accreditations, which allow for LDD’s availability. LDD’s are often medications that require complex protocols like self-injection, intravenous administration, or strict regimens.
Specialty Pharmacies provide extensive educational programs to help patients understand their disease, manage the complex drug-administration requirements prior to initiation of therapy, as well as understand and avoid potential drug interactions. Specialty Pharmacies also provide continuous monitoring and outreach to patients to then be able to report metrics back to the drug maker, making Specialty Pharmacies a critical need to ensure optimal drug utilization over time for each patient. The use of this detailed insight allows for drug makers to make enhancements to protocols happen over time. High-risk medications require extra safety measures and pharmacies who agree to LDD procedures make promises to the manufacturer to aid in patient safety and adherence. National accreditations, which are needed for certain medications needing specific handling methods, sterility measures, and quality control standards. National accreditations are also required for LDD’s and are only given to pharmacies with years of experience, highly-trained clinical staff, and relationships with manufacturers.
PFSP’s Rheumatology Limited Distribution Drugs
Rheumatic diseases are autoimmune and inflammatory diseases that cause the immune system to attack joints, tendons, ligaments, bones, and organs. Rheumatic diseases include Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, Sjogren’s Syndrome, Gout, Scleroderma, Infectious Arthritis, and Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis.The LDD’s used to treat Rheumatic diseases and conditions that PFSP has access to are Cosentyx, Taltz, Actemra IV Infusions, Rituxan, and Rituxan Hycela.
Cosentyx treats patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis over large areas or many areas of the body. Cosentyx is a subcutaneous injection that is given just under the surface of the skin. The Cosentyx injection is a sterile, preservative-free medication with a single-use pen used to administer the treatment.
Taltz is used to treat patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis who may benefit from taking injections or pills. Taltz is also approved for patients with active psoriatic arthritis, adults with active ankylosing spondylitis, and adults with active non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis with objective signs of inflammation. Taltz is administered to patients through an injection.
Actemra IV Infusions treat adults with giant cell arteritis, active polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis, moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis after at least one disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) has been used and did not work well. Actemra IV Infusions were shown to slow joint damage for many patients with rheumatoid arthritis when taken with the medication methotrexate.
Rituxan is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and is taken in combination with methotrexate to reduce the signs and symptoms of moderate to severe active rheumatoid arthritis after at least one other tumor necrosis factor antagonist medication has been used and did not work. Rituxan is administered as an intravenous infusion.
Rituxan Hycela is used to treat patients with rheumatoid arthritis, follicular lymphoma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Rituxan Hycela includes the same monoclonal antibody as Rituxan but is used in combination with hyaluronidase, an enzyme that helps deliver the treatment by injection under the skin. Some patients prefer the Rituxan Hycela subcutaneous injection because there is less time required to administer treatment.
PFSP Specialty Pharmacy provides patients and their physicians an exceptionally high standard of care with our growing team of specialized pharmacists and staff. Our dedicated team of pharmacists focus on improving adherence for patients and work to find an approach that works best for them. Bringing a fresh take on what a Specialty Pharmacy can and should be, we are committed to the care of our patients. We take pride in being an ethical resource within our community and strive each day to help our patients live enriching and full lives.
https://www.pharmaceuticalcommerce.com/view/specialty-pharmacy-accreditation-burden-and-benefit
https://www.webmd.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/an-overview-of-rheumatic-diseases
