In an issue brief, researchers at the Employee Benefit Research Institute show that spending on specialty medications is expected to account for nearly one-half of total drug spending in the commercial market by 2020 but did not find any clear relationship between the use of specialty medications and workplace absenteeism. Specialty drug use for rheumatoid arthritis was associated with 2.5 fewer days absent (when absences occurred), but for multiple sclerosis, each additional specialty drug prescription filled was associated with 0.3 more days absent, the issue brief says.
