Natalie Bedford, senior vice president of US pharmaceutical distribution services, McKesson

In this interview, Natalie Bedford, senior vice president of US pharmaceutical distribution services at McKesson, discusses how specialty distributors provide strategic value beyond logistics by offering regulatory expertise, advanced analytics, and patient-centric solutions that support manufacturers in navigating complex supply chains, adapting to accelerated and limited network launches, and preparing for the commercialization of emerging therapies like cell and gene treatments.

Please introduce yourself by stating your name, title, and any relevant experience you’d like to share.

Natalie Bedford: Hello, my name is Natalie Bedford, and I'm the senior vice president of US pharmaceutical distribution services for all our brand and manufacturing relationships here at McKesson. I've had the privilege of being with McKesson for a year and a half. I've been in the health care industry for 33 years.

In what ways do specialty distributors provide value beyond logistics—particularly when it comes to ensuring long-term brand success?

Bedford: Beyond logistics, specialty distributors provide a strategic advantage by offering tailored solutions to meet the unique needs of its manufacturer partners and product portfolio. Their expertise in navigating complex supply chains, coupled with advanced technological advancements, enable manufacturers to focus on their core competency, which is to bring innovative new medicines to market. They can then rely on distributors to bridge that gap between production of that product to patient access through custom distribution channels.

A few of the key benefits of these distribution partners are enhanced efficiencies through streamlining processes and systems that ensure rapid availability of the product to the market. Another is that economies of scale will naturally lower the distribution costs for the manufacturer and enhance their cost savings and profitability.

Last but not least, specialty distributors provide the agility and adaptability to meet changing market fluctuations, which can fully support the growth initiatives and enhance market expansion that manufacturers plan for their individual products and their product portfolio.

What are the most common regulatory pitfalls pharmaceutical companies face when launching specialty drugs, and how can specialty distributors help mitigate them?

Bedford: First and foremost, I want to reinforce that at McKesson patients are at the forefront and center of everything that we do. As we all know, the health care industry is becoming much more regulated. As a result, every stakeholder in the ecosystem is required, or it is critical, to make sure that they maintain a critical focus on compliance.

The expertise of specialty distributors in navigating regulatory frameworks helps to ensure its pharma partners remain compliant with the ever-changing local and federal policies. Additionally, by having in-depth knowledge and expertise in these regulatory environments, specialty distributors like McKesson are able to avoid these legal pitfalls, as well as quickly adapt strategies or capabilities to ensure its manufacturer partners are adherent to these new legislations.

In addition, one of our key focuses for investment are robust systems, which allow us to monitor, track, and audit so that we can quickly identify and address wherever there's any noncompliance issues.

How are specialty distributors helping manufacturers build flexibility into their go-to-market models, especially as more products come through accelerated pathways or launch in limited networks?

Bedford: Specialty distributors play a critical role in helping manufacturers design and adapt their go-to-market models, particularly as new novel therapies, like cell and gene or radiopharmaceuticals or bispecifics, come to market through accelerated approvals and/or through limited distribution networks.

A few examples of the value that specialty distributors provide to their manufacturers are the following: One, they can help manufacturers tailor the needs of their distribution solutions to support the unique needs of the patient journey and ensure rapid access to market. They also can provide advanced analytics, which provide real-time intelligence on market trends, how competitors are behaving, as well as intelligence to the patient journey.

One of the other core service offerings that we have at McKesson, both for our oncology and our biopharma business, are our patient-centric strategies and programs to help ensure patients get access to the medicines where and when they need it.

Last but not least, the scalability and adaptability that we're always known for. We continue to stay ahead of the trends in the market and where the new therapies are going. We invest in those capabilities so we can support the breadth and the diversity of the new channel designs and strategies that manufacturers need to get their products to the patients who need them.

What do you see as the biggest disruptors—or opportunities—for specialty distribution in the next 3–5 years?

Bedford: Specialty drug distribution is rapidly evolving, shaped by regulatory shifts, changing patient expectations, and new market dynamics. Over the next 3 to 5 years, I anticipate that we will be facing many key disruptors, as well as opportunities, that will ultimately define the industry's trajectory. Let's talk about a few of those disruptors.

One is higher supply chain costs because of all the infrastructure and new capabilities needed to support these products. The other is regulatory and pricing changes, market consolidation—we’re seeing it in every segment of the industry. Consumerism and pricing transparency are playing an even bigger role in how and where patients get access, and then [there are] the shifts in delivery models needed to be able to support these new complex and novel therapies.

But there are also opportunities. One is personalized medicine in niche networks. That's where specialty distributors can leverage their expertise in helping support manufacturer partners. Artificial intelligence (AI) and automation open up a new world of opportunities as we think about solutions needed for the supply chain, as well as ensuring we meet those patient needs. Sustainability and eco-friendly logistics [are an opportunity], as we think broader than our industry in how we can have a better impact on the world around us.

How do we use digital transformation and distribution? We lean into some of the technologies to make it an even swifter, more seamless experience from manufacturer to patient. How do specialty distributors help manufacturers adapt? It's by leveraging all the capabilities that they have been able to prove are successful in navigating the complex supply chain, coupled with leveraging all of the new technology and opportunities in front of them to ensure that these products are getting to the patients who need them most.

How should pharmaceutical companies be rethinking their distribution strategies now to prepare for the influx of cell and gene therapies and other complex modalities?

Bedford: Pharmaceutical companies need to rethink the redistribution strategies as they look to accommodate the growing pipeline of advanced therapies such as cell and gene, radiopharmaceutical, bispecifics, and many other complex modalities. These therapies bring unique challenges, including high costs, cost flow management, specialized storage requirements, and patient-specific needs and customization.

There are 3 key ways that manufacturers and specialty distributors can partner. First, by partnering together with specialty distributors, they can work to invest in building the infrastructure and ecosystem needed to support the product along every piece of the value chain. Second, specialty distributors can serve as a thought partner, as manufacturers need to think about how to prepare for value-based pricing models to support the high-cost structure of these medicines, in particular with their payers and how to think about the reimbursement challenges.

Third is the ability to collaborate on patient-centric strategies. Each product is going to have its unique set of needs or requirements to support the patient in that patient journey. McKesson has proven time and time again through the offerings that it's delivered to the market that they can support this need.

By embracing innovation, regulatory expertise, and patient-centric strategies, I have no doubt that manufacturer and specialty distributor partnerships will ensure successful commercialization of these novel therapies.