PBMs Under Fire, the World Pharmacist Challenge & CRUSH COST | TWIRx

October 30, 2026 | Pharmacy Podcast Network

Sponsored by CurifyLabs and Independent Pharmacy Cooperative (IPC)

Pharmacy benefit managers are facing new scrutiny, controversial peptides are making headlines, and two pharmacy leaders are joining Todd Eury for a special edition of This Week in Pharmacy.

This week's episode features the finale of the 31 Day Challenge, an exciting announcement about the upcoming WORLD PHARMACIST CHALLENGE, and an exclusive in-studio interview with the 2025 Pharmacy 50 winner, Dr. Grant Harting, PharmD, founder of CRUSH COST.

TWIRx News: The Vox Top 3

1. PBMs Forced to Open Their Books — and They're Fighting Back

The Department of Labor has finalized new PBM transparency requirements covering fees, rebates, spread-pricing revenue, and compensation arrangements involving employer health plans.

The Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) argues that the regulation creates unnecessary burdens, threatens smaller PBMs, and could increase costs.

The big question: If PBMs are already transparent, why is additional financial disclosure such a problem?

Read PCMA's response

2. HHS Opens the Door to Six Controversial Peptides

HHS has announced an interim enforcement-discretion policy involving six peptides: BPC-157, Epitalon, KPV, MOTS-c, Semax, and TB-500.