Category: Specialty pharmacy

With a significant industry shift towards outpatient care, ambulatory infusion centers (AICs) have become a vital component of modern healthcare, offering specialized and often more affordable treatment than traditional hospital settings. This article answers the question, 'What is AIC pharmacy?', by exploring the different models, services, and benefits of this growing sector of specialty care.

Approximately 140,000 Americans live with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a rare disease treated by select medications [1.9.1]. For many of these patients, the crucial question is, **is nintedanib a specialty drug?** The answer is unequivocally yes, due to its cost, complexity, and distribution channel [1.2.1, 1.2.2].

According to insurance policies from providers like Mass General Brigham, the cancer medication zanubrutinib (Brukinsa) has been designated as a specialty drug that must be filled at a contracted specialty pharmacy. This classification is based on its high cost, complex administration, and the requirement for specialized patient support and monitoring.

As the first and only FDA-approved medication for MASH, Rezdiffra is available exclusively through a limited specialty pharmacy network, not from standard retail drugstores. This means patients prescribed Rezdiffra must go through a specific process involving their healthcare provider and the manufacturer's patient support program to access their medication.