Pharmacoequity & Biologics In The Allergy Clinic: Providing The Right Care, At The Right Time, Every time, To Everyone

Pharmacoequity refers to equity in access to pharmacotherapy for all patients and is an especially large barrier to biologic agents in patients with allergic diseases. Value-based care models can prompt clinicians to address social determinants of health, thereby promoting pharmacoequity. Pharmacoequity is influenced by numerous factors including socioeconomic status (SES), which may be mediated through insurance status, educational attainment, and access to specialist care. In addition to lower SES, race and ethnicity, age, locations isolated from care systems, and off-label indications for biologic agents all constitute barriers to pharmacoequity. While pharmaco-inequity is more apparent for expensive biologics, it also affects many other allergy treatments including epinephrine autoinjectors and Single Maintenance and Reliever Therapy (SMART) for asthma. Current programs aimed at alleviating cost barriers are imperfect, with Patient Assistance Programs, manufacturer-sponsored free drug programs, and rebates often increasing complexity of care, with resultant inequity, particularly for patients with lower health literacy. Ultimately, single “silver-bullet” solutions are elusive. Long-term improvement instead requires a combination of research, advocacy, and creative problem-solving to design more intelligent and efficient systems that provide timely access to necessary care for every patient, every time.