Tony Pinsonault

Tony Pinsonault is a managing partner at Flanders, NJ-based Pinsonault Associates L.L.C., a managed care training and information company for the pharmaceutical industry. He can be reached at (800) 372-9009 or by e-mail at tony@pinsonault.com.

Global sales of oncology products are expected to grow at a compounded annual rate of 12% to 15% by 2012, reaching nearly $80 billion. This growth rate for cancer drugs is nearly double the projected overall growth rate for all pharmaceuticals (about 6.5% in 2007).

If you've been through managed care training, you've probably had it up to here with the endless list of acronyms and abbreviations you need to contend with ? but here's one more that's slowly working it's way into the sales professional's lexicon: P4P.

The implementation of the new Medicare Part D prescription-drug benefit in 2006 helped create a "perfect storm" for U.S. pharmaceutical and biotechnology manufacturers.

In a typical U.S. Hospital, pharmaceuticals consume between 25 and 30 percent of the supply budget, and pharmacy costs have increased by an average of eight percent annually over the past several years. One of the nation's largest hospital-management organizations, with nearly 60 facilities in 12 states, spends nearly half a billion dollars each year on pharmaceuticals.

The focus of every pull-through program should be on the patient – who should benefit most.

Formularies, like managed care in general, are in a constant state of evolution.

What you need to know now that Part D is reality.

When reps understand how physicians are paid, they gain insights into how financial factors influence prescribing behavior. Then they can fine-tune their messages to help address physician needs while ensuring appropriate utilization of their products.

What you need to know about the new Medicare Part D benefit plans.