---
title: "Orphan Drugs: Managing Utilization for Optimal Outcomes"
description: "Orphan Drugs: Managing Utilization for Optimal Outcomes   By Kathryn Kolonic, DO, MPH, CPHQ AllMed Vice President & Medical Director   In the United States, the average annual cost of drugs to treat rare medical conditions—so-called orphan drugs—is 25 times higher than that of traditional drugs.1 As the number of orphan drugs grows and their…"
---

[Blog | AllMed Healthcare Management ](https://allmedmd.com/blog)

# [Orphan Drugs: Managing Utilization for Optimal Outcomes](https://allmedmd.com/blog/thought-leadership/orphan-drugs-optimal-outcomes)

 Written by [Admin](https://allmedmd.com/blog/author/admin) | May 25, 2022 8:26:41 AM

## **Orphan Drugs: Managing Utilization for Optimal Outcomes**

 

### By Kathryn Kolonic, DO, MPH, CPHQ

### AllMed Vice President & Medical Director

 

In the United States, the average annual cost of drugs to treat rare medical conditions—so-called orphan drugs—is 25 times higher than that of traditional drugs.[1 ](https://www.ajmc.com/view/orphan-drugs-are-driving-skyrocketing-drug-costs-ahip-finds)As the number of orphan drugs grows and their uses proliferate, these high costs are having an outsized impact on payer, health plan, and member budgets.

In response, Medicare and payers across the board are implementing access controls and cost-sharing strategies, based on a variety of factors, to ensure appropriate use. Developing a treatment plan with confidence in this environment requires specialized expertise…

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[View full post](https://allmedmd.com/blog/thought-leadership/orphan-drugs-optimal-outcomes)

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