This Week in Pharmacy
This Week in Pharmacy is a weekly podcast streamed LIVE on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Twitter about innovation in the pharmacy profession.
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The Medicare GLP-1 Bridge: Access, Affordability & the Pharmacist’s Role | TWIRx
TWIRx NEWS 1. Medicare Part D Paid Nearly $588 Million for Ineligible OTC Drugs <p> </p> <p>A federal audit found that Medicare Part D sponsors made approximately $587.7 million in ineligible payments from 2021 through 2023 for medications that had effectively transitioned from prescription to over-the-counter status.</p> <p> </p> <p>The HHS Office of Inspector General cited outdated FDA information and the lack of a clear CMS rejection timeline as major contributors.</p> <p> </p> <p>Why it matters: This exposes a serious coordination problem across FDA data, manufacturers, CMS, health plans and pharmacy claims systems.</p> <p> </p> <p>Pharmacists may see the rej...
Community Pharmacy Freedom, Cash-Based Models & AI-Powered Medication Optimization | TWIRx
<p>Today’s episode of This Week in Pharmacy — #TWIRx is sponsored by Value Drug Company and explores two major forces reshaping pharmacy: the evolution of the community pharmacy business model and the expanding role of artificial intelligence in medication optimization and value-based care.<br> <br> PART ONE: The Impact of the Cash-based Community Pharmacy<br> <br> Special Guest: Rick Seipp, PharmD President, Value Drug Company<br> <br> Community pharmacy is entering a new era.<br> <br> In Part One, Todd Eury sits down with Rick Seipp, PharmD, President of Value Drug Company, to discuss the continued evolution and expansion of indep...
Pharmacists and Advocacy for Patients in Pain | TWIRx
Pharmacists and Advocacy for Patients in Pain <p>Friday, August 21, 2026</p> <p>What happens when patients living with chronic pain, their advocates, and the pharmacists responsible for dispensing opioid medications view the same healthcare system from very different perspectives?</p> <p>This special episode of This Week in Pharmacy brings together the Doctor Patient Forum’s founders, Claudia A. Merandi and Bev C. Schechtman, with pharmacist and nationally recognized pharmacy advocate Dr. Shane Jerominski, PharmD—better known as “The Accidental Pharmacist.”</p> <p>The discussion follows a wave of social-media debate surrounding Claudia’s use of the term “Harmacists,” which prompted response...
The Value of a Trusted Wholesaler & Cole’s Act Update | TWIRx
<p>Independent pharmacies need partners they can trust—and patients need a prescription-drug system that puts access ahead of profits.</p> <p>In this episode of This Week in Pharmacy, Todd Eury welcomes Rick Seipp, PharmD, President of Value Drug Company, to discuss the importance of choosing a dependable wholesale distribution partner. Following Smith Drug Company’s announced operational transition, Value Drug Company is prepared to help affected independent pharmacy owners evaluate their purchasing, distribution and operational needs while developing an orderly transition that protects continuity of service.</p> <p>For more than 90 years, pharmacist-led Value Drug Company has supported commu...
Part One: Introducing the CurifyLabs Platform | TWIRx Special Series
<p>In the first episode of this three-part CurifyLabs Podcast Series, we provide a broad overview of the CurifyLabs platform and its role in modernizing personalized medicine and pharmaceutical compounding. The discussion explores how the platform combines digital workflows, automated production technology, and standardized processes to help pharmacies and healthcare organizations improve efficiency, consistency, quality, and scalability.</p> <p> </p> <p>Listeners will learn how CurifyLabs supports the preparation of customized medications while helping pharmacy teams reduce manual complexity, strengthen documentation, and expand access to patient-specific therapies. This opening episode establishes the foundation for the series and examines how technology c...
The Hidden Cost of Managing Pain Without a Pain Pharmacist | TWIRx
This Week in Pharmacy — August 7, 2026 The Hidden Cost of Managing Pain Without a Pain Pharmacist <p>What happens when patients living with chronic pain do not have a pain pharmacist on their healthcare team?</p> <p>In this episode of This Week in Pharmacy, we explore the hidden clinical, emotional, and financial costs of managing pain without a pharmacist trained in pain management. These pharmacists do far more than review medications—they serve as accessible patient advocates, medication experts, care coordinators, and trusted partners for people navigating the complexities of chronic pain.</p> Segment One: Pharmacists Are the Secret Weapon in Pa...
IPC Podcast Feature: Expanding Wellness Revenue with Fullscript | TWIRx Special Series
<p>The Independent Pharmacy Cooperative is partnering with Fullscript to help independent pharmacies expand their wellness offerings without adding inventory, storage costs, or fulfillment responsibilities.</p> <p> </p> <p>Through the partnership, IPC members receive free access to Fullscript’s digital platform, featuring more than 375 trusted supplement brands. Pharmacies can recommend personalized wellness protocols, earn approximately 35% margins on online sales, and benefit from direct-to-patient shipping, automated refill reminders, and optional auto-ship services.</p> <p> </p> <p>Fullscript manages product inventory, payment processing, and delivery, giving independent pharmacies a practical way to generate recurring revenue while supporting patient adherence and long-term well...
Community Link by GoodRx | TWIRx
<p >Independent pharmacies are facing growing reimbursement uncertainty, especially when dispensing high-cost brand medications such as GLP-1 therapies. In this exclusive Pharmacy Podcast Network special feature, we examine how GoodRx Community Link provides independent pharmacies with predictable pricing and favorable economics across both brand and generic medications, ultimately helping pharmacies remain solvent while providing consumers affordable prescription prices.</p> <p > </p> <p >Todd Eury is joined by David Graziano, Head of Retail Network at GoodRx, and Tom DePietro, independent pharmacy owner at DePietro’s Pharmacy, for a practical discussion about the pressures affecting independent pharmacy and the need for reimbursement mod...
Introducing Specialty Care Close to Home | TWIRx
<p>Specialty pharmacy is becoming one of the most important access points in modern healthcare, particularly for patients managing complex, chronic, rare, and high-cost conditions. As therapies advance and patient needs become more sophisticated, health systems are rethinking how specialty pharmacy can improve medication access, continuity of care, clinical outcomes, affordability, and the overall patient experience.</p> <p> </p> <p>In this special episode of This Week in Pharmacy, the Pharmacy Podcast Network introduces Specialty Care Close to Home, a new series examining how hospitals and health systems are designing, building, supporting, and scaling specialty pharmacy services across health-system and com...
AI in Pharmacy Standards and Drug Supply Chain Upgrades | TWIRx
<p>AI in Pharmacy Standards and Drug Supply Chain Upgrades<br> This Week in Pharmacy — July 17, 2026</p> <p> </p> <p>Artificial intelligence and supply chain modernization are reshaping pharmacy practice, patient access, and healthcare operations.</p> <p> </p> <p>In this episode of This Week in Pharmacy, host Todd Eury speaks with leaders from URAC and Cencora about responsible AI adoption and the growing gap between drug availability and real-world access.</p> <p> </p> <p>Guests</p> <p> </p> <p>Shawn Griffin, MD<br> President and CEO, URAC</p> <p> </p> <p>Brent Wilhelm<br> Senior Vice President, Global Supply Chain Ce...
