Good morning, healthcare professional.
As 2025 closes, we review the stories that defined pharmacy this year. From the GLP-1 supply crisis testing inventory management to landmark PBM reform and expanded pharmacist clinical authority, 2025 brought significant challenges and meaningful progress.
Key themes-margin compression driving service diversification, accelerating technology adoption, and regulatory changes reshaping competition-will influence pharmacy strategy through 2026 and beyond.
In today's year-end review:
- GLP-1 supply crisis and its ripple effects
- PBM reform momentum at state and federal levels
- Pharmacist provider status advances in key states
- The biosimilar wave transforms specialty pharmacy economics
The GLP-1 Supply Crisis: How Weight-Loss Drugs Reshaped Pharmacy Operations
Bottom Line: Unprecedented demand for semaglutide and tirzepatide forced pharmacies to develop new inventory management and patient communication capabilities. The crisis demonstrated pharmacy's critical role in managing access to high-demand medications.
PBM Reform Momentum: State Actions and Federal Progress in 2025
Bottom Line: Over 30 states passed PBM oversight legislation, from spread pricing prohibitions to mandatory rebate pass-through requirements. Pharmacy owners should review their state's new laws and ensure contracts reflect required transparency provisions.
Pharmacist Provider Status: Clinical Authority Expands
Bottom Line: Several states expanded pharmacist prescriptive authority with test-and-treat protocols for strep throat, influenza, and urinary tract infections. Pharmacies investing in clinical infrastructure now will best capture revenue as payer reimbursement models evolve.
The Biosimilar Wave Transforms Specialty Pharmacy
Bottom Line: Biosimilar competition drove average selling prices down 30-40% for affected products, benefiting patients while requiring specialty pharmacies to adapt workflows. The trend accelerates in 2026 as additional blockbuster biologics face biosimilar versions.
The Shortlist
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Pharmacy automation adoption reached a record high, with 65% of independent pharmacies now using robotic dispensing or automated counting technology.
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Telepharmacy services expanded to 42 states with active regulations, up from 37 at the start of 2025.
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Drug shortages affected over 320 medications simultaneously at peak in Q3 2025, the highest level recorded by the FDA.
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Independent pharmacy closures slowed to approximately 2.8% net attrition in 2025, down from 3.5% in 2024.
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AI-powered clinical decision support tools began appearing in major pharmacy management systems, with early adopters reporting 15% improvements in drug interaction alert relevance.