Drug Channels delivers timely analysis and provocative opinions from Adam J. Fein, Ph.D., the country's foremost expert on pharmaceutical economics and the drug distribution system. Drug Channels reaches an engaged, loyal and growing audience of more than 100,000 subscribers and followers. Learn more...

Friday, May 15, 2026

Protecting Gross-to-Net Performance Through Single-Channel Ecosystems

Today’s guest post comes from Peter Darch, SVP of Strategy and Operations at PHIL Inc.

Peter explains that growing pressure on drug pricing is exposing structural inefficiencies in gross-to-net (GTN) across traditional distribution channels. He argues that single-channel ecosystems can better coordinate affordability, coverage, and dispensing, improving both patient outcomes and brand performance.

Click here to learn more about PHIL’s technology solution for brands.

Read on for Peter’s insights.

Wednesday, May 13, 2026

Drug Channels News Roundup, Mid-May 2026: Flawed Launch Price Math, Rising Pharmacy Closures, Hospital Pay Realities, 340B Hospitals vs. Grantees, and a Luxury Take on Specialty Pharmacy

By Bryce Platt, PharmD

The onslaught of pharmacy-related news doesn’t end. It may even be increasing in volume due to AI.

But don’t worry—I’ve gathered some high-impact information over the last month from my LinkedIn posts that you can quickly read between your sets at the gym.

I recommend reading BETWEEN your sets, but some may be brave enough to read during the set itself.

In this issue: Extra: What If Specialty Pharmacy Worked Like a Luxury Hotel? A Surprising Reimagining

P.S. Join my more than 33,000 LinkedIn followers for valuable daily posts at 9 a.m. ET.
340B in 2026: Market Shifts, Policy Battles, and What They Mean for Stakeholders.

Don't miss DCI’s upcoming webinar on Friday, June 12, 2026, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. ET. Adam J. Fein and Tyler Novotny will unpack the good, the bad, and the ugly of the 340B program—and what it means for you. Click here to learn more and sign up.

Tuesday, May 12, 2026

340B in 2026: Market Shifts, Policy Battles, and What They Mean for Stakeholders (NEW Live Video Webinar)

Join Dr. Adam J. Fein, president of Drug Channels Institute (DCI) and the editor of Drug Channels, for his latest exclusive video webinar:

340B in 2026: Market Shifts, Policy Battles,
and What They Mean for Stakeholders

This event will be broadcast live on:
Friday, June 12, 2026
12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. ET

Register Now

Dr. Fein will be joined by Tyler Novotny, MBA, the SVP at DCI.

The webinar will be broadcast live from the Drug Channels studio in beautiful downtown Philadelphia. It is part of The Drug Channels 2026 Video Webinar Series.


WHAT YOU WILL LEARN


Join industry expert Adam J. Fein, Ph.D., and his colleague Tyler Novotny, MBA, for an exclusive deep dive into the 340B Drug Pricing Program—one of the most complex and controversial segments of the U.S. pharmaceutical market.

In this all-new webinar, Adam and Tyler will deliver a fact-based, data-driven analysis of the 340B program’s structure, economics, and rapid evolution. He’ll unpack the key controversies reshaping the program, explain what’s really happening behind the headlines, and provide a clear, actionable outlook for stakeholders across the drug channel.

Whether you’re in pharma, provider organizations, pharmacy, or policy, you’ll gain the insights needed to understand where 340B is headed—and what it means for your business.

Key topics include:
  • The structure and economics of the 340B program
  • Growth trends among covered entities and their partners
  • 340B’s expanding role in pharmacy—and its impact on PBMs and retail
  • DCI’s latest data on the contract pharmacy marketplace and the leading participants
  • The role of third-party administrators and vendors in the 340B ecosystem
  • What’s behind the growing controversy over the definition of an eligible patient
  • Why diversion and duplicate discounts have become flashpoints
  • The implications of the Net Pricing Drug Channel for 340B pricing dynamics
  • How 340B funds are generated and distributed across participating entities
  • How employers and plan sponsors could reshape the program’s future
  • Manufacturers’ evolving distribution strategies for 340B contract pharmacies
  • Recent legal developments affecting manufacturer policies and contract pharmacy arrangements
  • The expanding influence of state legislation
  • The impact of the Inflation Reduction Act on program operations and oversight
  • The HRSA vs. CMS oversight crisis
  • The outlook for a potential 340B rebate model
  • What’s ahead for state and federal policy
  • Emerging risks, challenges, and threats to watch
Plus: fresh insights and expert perspective you won’t find anywhere else.

As always, they will clearly distinguish their opinions and interpretations from the objective facts and data.

This 90-minute video webinar will feature a dedicated Q&A session, where attendees can unmute and engage directly with Tyler and Adam.

Register now to stay informed and get ahead of the curve on 340B!

PRICING OPTIONS


Take advantage of this exclusive educational opportunity for just $420 per viewing device. Once you register, you'll receive a unique Zoom access link within 24 hours—making it easy to add the event to your calendar and ensure you don’t miss out.

Special Discounts For Teams!

We understand that many professionals are working remotely, so we’re offering substantial savings for multiple registrations from the same organization. What's more, an unlimited number of attendees can watch together at a single physical location with one registered device.

Important Reminder: Each device at a single physical location must have its own registration. The webinar may not be recorded, streamed, broadcast, or shared across different locations, devices, or sites.

Click here to register. All discounts will be automatically computed based on the number of registrations you enter in your cart. (You can reset the cart by entering 0 in the quantity field.)

340B in 2026: Market Shifts, Policy Battles, and What They Mean for Stakeholders


Questions about corporate pricing? Please contact Marie Caldwell (mcaldwell@hmpglobal.com).

Purchasing access for multiple sites? We'll contact you for your participant list. Or, download this spreadsheet and email your registrants’ information to dcisupport@hmpglobal.com.

Payment can be made with all major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover). Prefer check or ACH? Click here to request an invoice.

IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW


  • Watch and listen via any modern browser via computer, tablet, or mobile. (No telephone access.)
  • Each registrant will receive an email with a link to watch the event. This link is unique to the registrant and can only be accessed once.
  • Every registrant will also receive a link to download Dr. Fein's slides.
  • This event is part of The Drug Channels 2026 Video Webinar Series. If you already purchased access to the 2026 Drug Channels Video Webinar Series, then you already should have received an email from Zoom with a link to access the June 12, 2026, event.
  • Organizations that purchased corporate access for The Drug Channels 2026 Video Webinar Series will receive a custom, branded signup link so employees can easily register. We will automatically refund payments from anyone at a company with corporate access who purchases a single registration using their corporate email account.
  • Each registration for a DCI webinar is valid for a single device at a single physical location. Each device at a physical location requires its own registration. Attendees are not permitted to record, stream, share, or project a DCI webinar to other sites or locations. Purchasers who violate this limitation by recording, streaming, sharing, or projecting a DCI webinar to other sites, devices, or locations will be liable for the full cost of all locations that viewed the webinar. DCI reserves the right to prohibit purchasers who violate our terms from attending future DCI webinars.
  • Unfortunately, we are unable to offer refunds.

Friday, May 08, 2026

The Hidden Costs of Over-Customizing Your Hub Technology Stack

Today’s guest post comes from George Moore, Chief Product and Technology Officer at CareMetx.

George argues that customer relationship management (CRM) program customization delivers short-term workflow gains at the expense of long-term scalability, integration simplicity, and upgradeability. He highlights three common pitfalls and offers an approach on how to avoid them.

To learn more, download CareMetx’s Guide to Building an Agile, Scalable Hub Architecture.

Read on for George’s insights.

Tuesday, May 05, 2026

Specialty Pharmacy Accreditation: DCI’s Exclusive Analysis Reveals a Market at an Inflection Point

By Adam J. Fein, Ph.D.

The Drug Channels Institute (DCI) team attended Asembia’s AXS26 Summit last week. Once again, the specialty pharmacy market delivered a classic paradox: a sprawling, fragmented landscape of participants paired with highly concentrated economics controlled by a handful of PBM-affiliated giants.

Below, we share our proprietary analyses of the specialty market’s participants. DCI identified more than 1,900 pharmacy locations that have achieved specialty pharmacy accreditation from one of the two major independent accreditation organizations.

Despite growing revenues from specialty drugs, overall growth in accredited pharmacies has plateaued. However, pharmacy locations owned by healthcare providers—hospitals, health systems, physician practices, and other healthcare providers—continue to expand and now account for nearly 40% of all accredited specialty pharmacy locations.

Read on for a bit of our arithmomania. Because in specialty pharmacy, what gets counted reveals who really counts.

Friday, May 01, 2026

Where Gross-to-net Pressure Actually Lives After Launch

Today’s guest post comes from Cindy Baksh, Chief Product Officer at ConnectiveRx.

Cindy explains that many gross-to-net (GTN) exposures now occur at the claim level, where evolving payer tactics, pharmacy economics, and copay complexity create unpredictable leakage. She argues that manufacturers must augment downstream review with real-time visibility and intervention to protect both revenue and patient access.

To learn more, register for ConnectiveRx’s free webinar on June 17: Gross-To-Net FOMO: What GTN Dangers Are You Missing Post-Launch?

Read on for Cindy’s insights.