Trade & Channel Strategies 2025: Trade and Channel Strategies in the Era of Medically Integrated Dispensing

In a conversation with Pharmaceutical Commerce, Curatio’s Cheryl Allen reflected on two decades of evolution in commercial trade and distribution, noting how traditionally separate functions, supply chain operations and patient support services, are increasingly merging. She highlighted a growing shift toward integrated downstream models, including the rise of medically integrated dispensing, where physician groups establish in-house pharmacy capabilities to streamline access and enhance continuity of care. What began in oncology, Allen noted, is now expanding into specialties such as neurology, rheumatology, and dermatology, driven by practice consolidation and new value levers tied to management services organizations and group purchasing dynamics.

As the industry gathers at the conference, Allen said she is particularly focused on how organizations can safeguard the integrity of the US drug supply chain. She underscored persistent training gaps and the need for manufacturers to build stronger internal development pathways, ensuring future leaders are equipped to manage increasingly complex distribution environments. More foundational education, she added, could open doors for talent interested in entering the trade and channel space.

Looking toward 2026, Allen outlined Curatio’s priorities around navigating a shifting regulatory landscape and deepening its analysis of both pipeline and on-market products. She emphasized the role of emerging technologies and business-support tools in helping trade teams evaluate analogs, anticipate distribution needs, and design models resilient to regulatory change. Curatio, she said, is focused on supporting manufacturers as they plan for the next three to five years of product movement and patient access.

A transcript of Allen’s full conversation with PC appears below.

PC: How does the channel’s evolution tie into your “Trade and Channel Strategies in the Era of Medically Integrated Dispensing” session that you’ll be leading at the conference?

Allen: Generally, we had two aspects, this is patient access and support services, and then we had distribution and supply chain. So what we're beginning to see is sort of a blending of those two such that now commercial trade and distribution teams are really thinking about and preparing for that in the downstream channel. And I'll give you an example of that. It is medically integrated dispensing. We'll be talking about that tomorrow. Actually, we'll talk about first physician volume bill. We know what that is. We talk about in office dispensing, we've come through the evolution of that, and then when we think about medically integrated dispensing, that's where we have the physician, a physician group finds value drivers and actually setting up their own pharmacy structure such that they are supplying access for that patient right there within the continuum of their practices.

So we all know oncology was the first to do that. They're great examples of teams that have done that from a you know, state-to-state perspective, each of the organizations has to go by their either the medical board or the pharmacy board to support the state to state structures. But beyond that, what we're seeing now is coming evolving and what we originally saw in oncology, we're now seeing in other areas, right? So we think about neurology, we think about rheumatology, dermatology, and we sort of sit back and say, what are the drivers there? When do physicians find value in inserting themselves into that distribution role. What's happening in those spaces? One of the key drivers is consolidation of the management services. So management services organizations, as well as the discounts through group purchasing.