Join our hosts in this special compilation episode as they revisit some of the most informative and engaging segments from past episodes. They'll discuss drug formulary exclusions and their impact on patients, cash pharmacy models disrupting the industry, and the safety of biosimilars. Tune in to hear valuable insights and advice to help you better understand the ever-changing landscape of health care economics and policy.

Among the highlights in this episode:

1:16: Dr. Popovian, Chief Science Policy Officer at GHLF, explains what drug formulary exclusions are

3:50: When patients are stable on a medication, formulary changes can force them to switch to a different treatment, and while the burden of these changes falls on the patients and their health care providers, Pharmacy Benefit Management Companies (PBMs) and insurers bear none of the risks

6:01: Dr. Popovian states that very little has been done to address drug formulary exclusions on the federal level and suggests that there should be some action taken to hold PBMs and insurers accountable for the consequences of their policies

7:07: Conner Mertens, Patient Advocate and Community Outreach Manager at GHLF, and Dr. Popovian discuss cash pharmacies and how their model can help patients save money on prescription drugs

10:47: “Biosimilars are absolutely safe and absolutely as effective as the brand biologics. FDA has approved these medicines; they go through rigorous research and development process[es]. It takes several years, several 100 millions of dollars to be able to bring these drugs to the market. There is a lot of science that goes behind it, there’s a lot of regulation, there’s a lot of scrutiny, there’s nothing to be worried about [concerning] these drugs” says Dr. Popovian

11:57: Conner explains the importance of looking for verified and peer-reviewed health information as well as trusting scientists and finding the right patient community

13:39: Conner shares information on the importance of advocacy and how to get involved with GHLF’s 50-State Network: “Sign up, tell us your story, and work with us to elevate the stories. We'll give you a megaphone,” he says. More information here: www.50statenetwork.org

Contact Our Hosts

Dr. Robert Popovian, Chief Science Policy Officer at GHLF: rpopovian@ghlf.org

Conner Mertens, Patient Advocate and Community Outreach Manager at GHLF: cmertens@ghlf.org

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