2025 was a pivotal year for pharmacy, one defined by rapid innovation and evolving opportunities across the healthcare ecosystem. From the rise of biosimilars to the expansion of GLP‑1 therapies, and from digital engagement acceleration to deeper payer–pharmacy collaboration, the industry has moved forward fast. As pharmacies, payers, and pharma companies adapt, it’s clear: staying ahead means being proactive and ready for change, not reacting to it.
Below, we take a look at the biggest pharmacy trends of 2025, what they meant for patients and stakeholders, and how these shifts are setting the stage for 2026!
Big Picture Trends in 2025
Biosimilars Gain Traction: Driving Access and Cost Savings
As biologic therapies continued to dominate treatment for complex chronic diseases, 2025 saw a significant uptick in biosimilar adoption. More payers and providers embraced biosimilars as a cost-effective, clinically sound alternative to branded biologics which has helped improve access, expand treatment options, and ease the burden on healthcare budgets. For pharmacies, this shift meant increasing the complexity of inventory, while for payers and pharma, it underscored the importance of education, trust, and supply‑chain robustness.
The growing biosimilar movement also highlighted the critical role of pharmacy‑payer‑manufacturer alignment. Ensuring product authenticity, consistent supply, and clear communication became extremely important.
GLP‑1s and Metabolic Therapies Shape Medication Strategy
One of the most talked about shifts of 2025 was the continued growth of GLP‑1 and metabolic therapies. As demand surged for both chronic disease management and weight‑related therapies, pharmacies and payers saw increased pressure to figure out access and affordability.
Pharmacies played a frontline role in educating patients, supporting adherence, managing specialty‑therapy logistics, and navigating payer requirements. Payers faced tough decisions around coverage, utilization management, and long‑term cost models. Meanwhile, manufacturers needed to work closely with both payers and pharmacies to seamlessly continue supply, support patients access programs, and ensure responsible distribution.
Digital Transformation — Engagement, Convenience, and Patient‑Centered Care
Beyond the drugs themselves, 2025 accelerated a wave of change in how care is delivered. Digital tools from mobile apps to patient portals became vital to pharmacy operations and engagement strategies. Patients increasingly expect seamless refill management, text or app‑based notifications, telepharmacy consults, and easier access to providers and medication‑related info.
For payers and pharma, this meant shifting toward more connected, transparent, and patient‑centric models. Digital engagement is no longer a “nice‑to-have”, it’s fundamental to retention, adherence, and overall population health. Pharmacies that invested in digital engagement solutions found themselves better positioned to deliver healthier outcomes and able to respond to rapidly changing patient needs.
Greater Collaboration Across the Healthcare Ecosystem
2025 highlighted a vision we have always strived for at Outcomes: meaningful improvements in care with coordinated efforts across the healthcare continuum. As treatment complexity increased with biosimilars, specialty drugs, GLP‑1s, and evolving coverage rules, collaboration between pharmacies, payers, and pharma have the utmost importance.
Pharmacy and payer partnerships expanded their scope, incorporating medication therapy management (MTM), adherence programs, specialty‑care support, and value‑based contracting. Manufacturers engaged more directly with pharmacies to support distribution, education, and patient‑access initiatives. This ecosystem‑wide connectivity helped improve medication access, adherence, and patient satisfaction, while reducing waste, errors, and friction.
Outcomes in 2025 Milestones and Growth
The first half of 2025 marked a period of growth and impact for the Outcomes pharmacy network. From January through June, the network delivered more than 6.5 million Medication Therapy Management (MTM) services, which is a 21% increase from 2024, highlighting our role in patient-centered care.
Behind these numbers is a foundation of community and over 170,000 pharmacists and pharmacy technicians across community, chain, and health-system settings worked collaboratively to help patients better manage medications, close care gaps, and improve adherence, driving stronger outcomes and measurable cost savings.
During this timeframe, there were several additional highlights: a record 475,000 MTM services delivered in a single week in March, and multiple days in February with more than 10,000 comprehensive medication reviews (CMRs) completed. These record-breaking achievements led to approximately $93 million in revenue for pharmacies through service and validation fees, reflecting not only stronger health outcomes for patients, but measurable cost savings for payers.
Aside from these stats, some additional milestones the Outcomes team accomplished were the launch of Outcomes Insights and a Medical Billing Program. Insights is a modern analytics platform that gives pharmacy leaders clear visibility into trends, workflows, and growth opportunities—empowering them to grow, know, and optimize their business. Medical Billing offers pharmacies a seamless billing solution that empowers streamlined claims submission for clinical and immunization services. Both of these new solutions provide education, efficiency and more opportunity to spend more time on quality patient care.
These milestones demonstrate the momentum of the Outcomes network as it continues to grow, innovate, and deliver value for both patients and pharmacies.
What These Trends Mean for 2026 and Beyond
The shifts we saw in 2025 set a new baseline for what’s expected from pharmacy, payer, and pharma, and a new bar is set as we move into 2026. We expect:
- Even wider adoption of biosimilars
- Continued growth of specialty therapies
- Continued revenue growth with an expansion of the Outcomes network and additional MTMs completed
- Deeper digital integration, with pharmacies, payers, and pharma increasingly relying on connected platforms, real‑time data, and patient engagement tools
- Stronger ecosystem collaboration, as stakeholders recognize that aligned incentives and shared responsibility yield better outcomes
For those ready to lean into these changes with a patient‑first mindset, 2026 presents huge opportunity.
Why Outcomes Believes 2026 Will Be a Breakout Year
At Outcomes, we see 2026 as a chance to build on the momentum of 2025. With a continuously expanding network, enhanced technology tools, and stronger partnerships, we’re more equipped than ever to help pharmacies, payers, and pharma adapt and lead.
We’re committed to providing the solutions and support that improve outcomes for all.
