Specialty Pharmaceuticals
About Specialty Pharmaceuticals
The Specialty Pharmaceuticals Service examines the evolving market dynamics, stakeholder perspectives, and distribution models shaping access to specialty and biologic therapies. Through research with payers, specialty pharmacies, and other key stakeholders, the service provides insights into specialty medication management, contracting approaches, manufacturer engagement, and the factors influencing access across the specialty marketplace.
Latest Research Insights
For more information, or to subscribe, contact:
(408) 884-8560
Research Archive
2026 Research
Specialty Pharmacy Providers: Market Landscape Trends and Strategic Imperatives
June 2026. Provides an overview of the specialty pharmacy provider (SPP) market, including trends in distribution of specialty drugs and SPP market size and composition. Examines recent market trends and dynamics and SPPs' most pressing strategic imperatives. Examines SPP service offerings and capabilities and how this differs by ownership type. Provides profiles for the largest specialty […]
Specialty Pharmacy Providers: Manufacturer Engagement and Contracting Trends
May 2026. Examines SPPs’ manufacturer “Partner of Choice,” manufacturer collaboration initiatives with SPPs, best-in-class account manager & MSL/HEOR nominations, and and benchmark ratings of manufacturers in account support and willingness to contract. Examines the contracting environment across 15 specialty therapeutic classes.
Pharmacy Benefit Managers: Specialty Medication Management and Contracting Trends
April 2026. Examines PBMs involvement in specialty drug distribution, specialty medication management and formulary tactics, and trends in contracting with manufacturers.
Commercial Health Plans: Specialty Medication Management and Market Access
April 2026. Reviews plans’ priorities in specialty drug cost containment for 2026 and examines activities in utilization management, medical benefit management, formulary and benefit design, and specialty pharmacy network optimization. Reviews the status of biosimilars uptake. Provides market access dashboards and management trends across 14 specialty therapeutic areas.
Commercial Health Plans: Manufacturer Account Engagement and Contracting for Specialty Pharmaceuticals
March 2026. Reviews health plan nominations of overall specialty manufacturer “Partner of Choice” and most valuable manufacturer-sponsored program/resource offerings for specialty. Benchmarks 35+ manufacturers in account support and willingness to contract for their specialty portfolios. Examines the evolving contracting environment across several specialty therapeutic classes and evaluates opportunities for partnership.
2025 Research
Medicare Advantage Plans: Specialty Drug Management, Contracting, and Best-in-Class Manufacturer Engagement
October 2025. Reviews MA plans’ strategies to manage drug costs and utilization across several high profile specialty therapeutic classes, examines the contracting environment, and provides MA plan decision-makers evaluation of best-in-class manufacturer engagement.
Specialty Pharmacy Providers: Market Landscape Trends and Strategic Imperatives
Specialty Pharmacy Providers: Manufacturer Engagement and Contracting Trends
Pharmacy Benefit Managers: Specialty Medication Management and Contracting Trends
Commercial Health Plans: Specialty Medication Management and Market Access
Commercial Health Plans: Manufacturer Account Engagement and Contracting for Specialty Drugs
Medicare Advantage Plans: Specialty Rx Mgt., Contracting, and Manufacturer Engagement
Go Deeper:
Specialty Pharmaceuticals
As specialty drug spending continues to grow, healthcare stakeholders are evolving their approaches to managing utilization, reimbursement, distribution, and patient access. HIRC’s Specialty Pharmaceuticals Service helps pharmaceutical organizations better understand these changes by monitoring payer management strategies, specialty pharmacy trends, manufacturer engagement, and emerging developments across the specialty marketplace.
The service covers a broad range of therapeutic areas as follows:
Therapeutic Areas Covered:
- Alzheimer’s Disease*
- Cholesterol-lowering Biologics
- Cancer Supportive Therapies
- HIV/AIDS
- Inflammation & Immunology
- Migraine
- Multiple Sclerosis
- MASH
- Ocular Disorders
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Respiratory Biologics
- White Blood Cell Stimulants
*Select Market Segments
For more information or to subscribe, contact Danielle Snook.
HIRC employs a triangulated research methodology that combines primary survey research, in-depth stakeholder interviews, and secondary market analysis to provide a comprehensive understanding of healthcare stakeholder perspectives, market dynamics, and emerging industry trends.
Research includes perspectives from:
- Commercial Health Plans: Management Trends, Manufacturer Benchmarking, & Contracting
- Pharmacy Benefit Managers: Management Trends & Contracting
- Specialty Pharmacy Providers: Channel Distribution Trends, Manufacturer Engagement, & Contracting
- Medicare Advantage Plans: Management Trends & Contracting
Subscribers can monitor emerging market developments, better understand payer and specialty pharmacy perspectives, benchmark manufacturer engagement and support, and make more informed decisions regarding market access, customer engagement, and organizational planning.