Pharmacy Podcast Network

October 30, 2026 | Pharmacy Podcast Network

Sponsored by CurifyLabs and Independent Pharmacy Cooperative (IPC)

Pharmacy benefit managers are facing new scrutiny, controversial peptides are making headlines, and two pharmacy leaders are joining Todd Eury for a special edition of This Week in Pharmacy.

This week's episode features the finale of the 31 Day Challenge, an exciting announcement about the upcoming WORLD PHARMACIST CHALLENGE, and an exclusive in-studio interview with the 2025 Pharmacy 50 winner, Dr. Grant Harting, PharmD, founder of CRUSH COST.

1. PBMs Forced to Open Their Books — and They're Fighting Back

The Department of Labor has finalized new PBM transparency requirements covering fees, rebates, spread-pricing revenue, and compensation arrangements involving employer health plans.

The Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) argues that the regulation creates unnecessary burdens, threatens smaller PBMs, and could increase costs.

The big question: If PBMs are already transparent, why is additional financial disclosure such a problem?

Read PCMA's response

2. HHS Opens the Door to Six Controversial Peptides

HHS has announced an interim enforcement-discretion policy involving six peptides: BPC-157, Epitalon, KPV, MOTS-c, Semax, and TB-500.

The policy could create a pathway for qualifying 503A compounding pharmacies under specific conditions, even as significant questions remain about the safety and efficacy of these non-FDA-approved substances.

The big question: Is this progress for personalized medicine or a dangerous leap ahead of clinical evidence?

Read the HHS Federal Register notice

3. Congress Investigates Alleged PBM Retaliation Against Independent Pharmacies

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer is investigating whether CVS Caremark, Express Scripts, and Optum Rx targeted independent pharmacies with burdensome audits after those pharmacies publicly supported PBM reform.

One allegation involves a medication costing just 99 cents that reportedly generated hundreds of hours of pharmacy staff work. The investigation is ongoing, and retaliation has not been established.

The big question: Are PBM audits protecting the system, or could they be used to intimidate pharmacies advocating for reform?

Read the congressional announcement

The 31 Day Challenge Finale & WORLD PHARMACIST CHALLENGE Announcement

Leadership starts with action!

Dr. Jesse McCullough, PharmD, CEO of Keystone Pharmacy Insights, returns to TWIRx for the final special feature of the 31 Day Challenge, reflecting on leadership, personal growth, accountability, and the importance of pharmacists stepping beyond their comfort zones.

Hosted live in Kansas City, MO – the NCPA held their annual conference this year from October 3rd to the 6th! The Pharmacy Podcast Network brings you this exclusive coverage from within the YARAL Pharma booth, where Todd Eury, Host and CEO of the PPN, talks to vendors, pharmacy owners, and longtime friends in the industry. Listen in as we capture the best moments in conversation at this year's Community Pharmacy Super Bowl, the NCPA 2026 Annual Conference.

Thank you to YARAL Pharma for sponsoring this episode of the NCPA 2026 Rewind!

https://yaralpharma.com/

In this episode, we hear from:

Mark Garofoli PharmD - PainGuy.us

Betsy Powers Reynolds PharmD - MethodRx

Bretton Walberg PharmD - Owner of Care-Fill

Mitchell Cusey P3 - WVU

Tamara Cisneros PharmD - Liberty Software

Jay Phipps PharmD - The Pharmacy Gladiator

Investigative reports, mount up! It’s time to question the longstanding pharmacogenic concerns for some prescription opioid pain medications!

As always, we have the most interesting (and important) news from the pharmacy compounding world, plus this episode we’ve got a deep dive into a future for peptides that protects patients while giving them access to the medications they want and need.

The NASP's Annual Meeting and Expo has evolved into the first annual inSPire!

inSPire is the one week each year where innovation, networking, Specialty Pharmacy expertise, insights, research, and education come together to empower, educate, and connect our community.  

Join host Todd Eury, Founder and CEO of the Pharmacy Podcast Network as he covers this event LIVE in Nation Harbor, Maryland.

Thank you to our sponsors!

HendrenAI: https://hendren.ai/

First Databank: https://www.fdbhealth.com/

Clearway Health: https://www.clearwayhealth.com/

In today's episode, we hear from:

Richard Brook - Better Worldwide

Robert Giles - First Databank

Sam Medure - Inovalon

Shaun Jensen - JB Consulting

Srulik Dvorsky - TailorMed

Tim L Hommedieu - Plenful

Vivian Berni - Thermosafe

October 23, 2026

This week on TWIRx: peptide compounding policy, a new hepatitis B treatment, specialty pharmacy growth, a rare-disease breakthrough, and pharmacy workforce pressure — followed by three conversations focused on the future of independent pharmacy.

The FDA has submitted an Interim Access Policy for Compounding Using Certain Peptides for White House review. No final policy has been announced.

Why it matters: A temporary pathway could move some patients away from gray-market peptide sellers and toward licensed pharmacies, while raising ongoing questions about safety and evidence.

TWIRx angle: Is regulated compounding safer than leaving patients to buy peptides online?

FDA approved Hibsago, bepirovirsen, for certain adults with chronic hepatitis B.

In Phase III studies, about 19% of eligible treated patients achieved functional cure after therapy stopped.

Why it matters: This could move hepatitis B treatment beyond long-term viral suppression toward sustained disease control for some patients.

Elevance Health reported $19.3 billion in quarterly Carelon revenue and about $900 million in operating gain, citing CarelonRx growth and improved specialty-pharmacy profitability.

Why it matters: Specialty pharmacy continues to become a major earnings and strategic growth engine inside vertically integrated healthcare organizations.

Disc Medicine reported positive Phase III results for bitopertin in rare disorders where exposure to light can cause severe pain.

Patients experienced improved light tolerance and fewer phototoxic reactions.

Why it matters: This could meaningfully improve daily life for patients whose disease forces them to avoid sunlight.

A widely discussed Reddit thread featured pharmacy technicians describing prescription backlogs, nonstop phones, frustrated patients, and inadequate staffing.

Important disclaimer: These are anonymous accounts and cannot be independently verified.

TWIRx angle: Are pharmacy teams being asked to do more without enough staffing and infrastructure?

IPC is expanding its Government Relations team as independent pharmacies face major federal and state issues involving PBM reform, reimbursement, rural access, and patient choice.

Discussion focus: Why IPC is investing more heavily in advocacy and what pharmacy owners should expect heading into 2027.

Independent pharmacies often serve as critical healthcare access points in rural communities.

Discussion focus:

IPC and Tenovi are partnering to give independent pharmacies access to RPM and RTM technology, including blood pressure monitors, scales, smart pillboxes, and inhaler sensors.

The goal is to support:

Big question: Can remote monitoring help independent pharmacies improve patient care while creating sustainable new revenue?

Independent pharmacy’s future increasingly depends on three things:

A stronger voice.

TWIRx is sponsored by Independent Pharmacy Cooperative and YARAL Pharma. Independent Pharmacy: Power, Policy & Patient Care | TWIRx 

The NASP's Annual Meeting and Expo has evolved into the first annual inSPire!

inSPire is the one week each year where innovation, networking, Specialty Pharmacy expertise, insights, research, and education come together to empower, educate, and connect our community.  

Join host Todd Eury, Founder and CEO of the Pharmacy Podcast Network as he covers this event LIVE in Nation Harbor, Maryland.

Thank you to our sponsor, Clearway Health! For more information of what Clearway Health can do for your pharmacy, visit https://www.clearwayhealth.com/

In today's episode, we hear from:

Allison Arant - Clearway Health

Derek Dennis - Clearway Health

Ben Heiser - Lumicera

Chris Corsi - CassianRx

Chris Mayor & Candace Ewens - Kelly Services

Eric Huckins - Lumicera

Norma Castaneda - Fidelis Specialty Pharmacy

This episode discusses endometriosis- what it is, how it affects women, and the treatment options available. Plus, did you know that even Dolly Parton has shared her experience with endometriosis? Tune in as Dr Nadia sheds light on this often misunderstood condition and the importance of awareness and understanding.

In this episode, Sheila Arquette, President & CEO of NASP, speaks with Mel Nelson, PharmD, CSP, Vice President, Specialty Consulting Services of Fairview Pharmacy Solutions. They discuss how the health system specialty pharmacy landscape has matured over the past decade, and why many organizations are now asking a new question: is our current operating model still the right one for where we want to go next? Mel walks through the key strategic, clinical, and financial factors health systems should evaluate when reassessing accelerator partnerships, the circumstances that might prompt a move toward insourcing capabilities, and how to protect patient care continuity through any transition. The conversation also covers how Fairview Pharmacy Solutions partners with health systems to design and execute successful transitions while building sustainable, long-term internal capability.

Sponsored by Clinigen | Love Your Pharmacist Awards

What happens when patients need critical medications, but traditional supply channels cannot deliver?

Medicine shortages, global supply disruptions, and unmet clinical needs are placing increasing pressure on healthcare systems worldwide. Behind every delayed shipment or unavailable treatment are pharmacists working tirelessly to find solutions, maintain continuity of care, and protect patients.

In this special episode of the Pharmacy Podcast Network, presented in partnership with Clinigen's Love Your Pharmacist Awards, we explore the essential role pharmacists play in overcoming barriers to medicine access across the United States and Europe.

Our featured guests bring unique perspectives on the challenges and innovations shaping global pharmaceutical access:

Alfred L'Altrelli – Chief Pharmacy Officer, Memorial Medical Center Las Cruces, and recipient of the 2026 Love Your Pharmacist Awards Lifetime Achievement Award. With nearly three decades of pharmacy leadership, Alfred has pioneered initiatives to improve medication safety, expand clinical pharmacy services, and strengthen healthcare access for underserved communities.

Louise Morshead – Pharmacist and Portfolio Director at Clinigen, based in the United Kingdom. Louise brings expertise in navigating global medicine supply challenges, working with suppliers and healthcare stakeholders to help address unmet patient needs.

In This Episode:

Pharmacists are more than medication experts. They are problem-solvers, patient advocates, and an essential connection between pharmaceutical supply and patient care.

Join us for an international conversation celebrating the pharmacists who go above and beyond to ensure patients aren't left behind when access becomes a challenge.

Presented by Clinigen and the Love Your Pharmacist Awards, in partnership with the Pharmacy Podcast Network.

Amplifying the Voice of Pharmacy.

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