The inaugural International Specialty Pharmacy Conference was held from October 2nd to 3rd, 2025, at the Sofitel Abu Dhabi Corniche, marking a watershed moment for the sector in the region. Endorsed by the ISPOR UAE Chapter and offering 15 CME hours, this pioneering event convened pharmacists, clinicians, policymakers, and industry leaders to define the strategic role of specialty pharmacy in the era of high-cost, high-touch biologics and cell therapies.
Day One laid the strategic foundation, beginning with a keynote by Dr. Jonathan Orouchak on the past and future evolution of the field. The core sessions meticulously mapped the Specialty Pharmacy Journey, detailing every touchpoint from patient intake and clinical assessment by Mira Tamer to structured follow-up and refill coordination by Dr. Mohamed Hashish. The focus then shifted to the intersection of clinical and operational expertise in the Advanced Biologics session, featuring disease-specific insights for Multiple Sclerosis (Dr. Mona Thakre) and Myasthenia Gravis (Dr. Najwa Al-Bustani). The afternoon was dedicated to the critical business of access, with the Strategic Market Access & Supply Chain Innovation track exploring managed entry agreements, pharmacoeconomics, and Health Technology Assessment (HTA) with experts like Dr. Haider Shamsi. A high-level panel with pharma market access leaders dissected the path "From Pipeline to Patient." The day concluded with deep dives into Operations and Accreditation, covering complex logistics for CAR-T cell therapies and the value of international pharmacy standards.
Day Two propelled the conversation into the future of innovation and implementation. The morning’s Biologics and Specialty Drugs track provided a comprehensive innovation overview, from pipeline insights by Dr. Abdulrazaq S. Al-Jazairi to the redefined role of GLP- 1 agonists as specialty drugs, presented by Dr. Zeyad Elgamal. The conference then embraced the digital frontier with the AI-Driven Digital Solutions session, where pioneers like Mr. Philip Morisky and Dr. Jonathan Orouchak explored how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing adherence mapping, market access strategy, and pharmacy operations. The final sessions tackled the practical realities of Payer and Reimbursement Challenges, addressing prior authorization hurdles and the economic models shaping therapy access. The conference concluded with an interactive workshop on adherence architecture, providing practical tools for measurement and improvement.
By seamlessly integrating clinical management, supply chain logistics, health economics, digital technology, and policy, the 1st International Specialty Pharmacy Conference established an essential multidisciplinary forum. It successfully charted a comprehensive roadmap for building resilient, patient-centered, and sustainable specialty pharmacy ecosystems capable of delivering tomorrow's advanced therapies.
