Vizient has signed an agreement with Fresenius Kabi to supply six critical care drugs under Vizient’s successful Novaplus private label pharmacy program. The list includes propofol as well as five other acute, life-saving drugs: protamine, phenylephrine, oxytocin, thiamine and magnesium sulfate. Although Fresenius Kabi has been a supplier to Vizient members for many years, this agreement makes these products the first critical care drugs to be added as part of a new enhancement to Novaplus, a member-centric contracting strategy designed to support a more sustainable pharmaceutical supply chain by anticipating demand to better meet patient needs.
 
“The Novaplus pharmacy program has a strong record of success in improving access to drugs that are often in short supply,” said Dan Kistner, group senior vice president, pharmacy solutions, Vizient. “Our enhanced contract with Fresenius Kabi marks the beginning of a new strategy within our pharmacy program focused on further improving the supply of critical care drugs, which are vital to delivering quality patient care.”
 
Fresenius Kabi is a manufacturer and U.S. supplier of the anesthesia drug propofol, sold under the brand name Diprivan, as well as a supplier of the five other acute drugs included in this agreement. This contract brings together two leaders in drug shortage mitigation strategies. For example, through this contract amendment, Vizient can provide more predictable demand of member usage, which in turn is expected to further improve supply continuity. Fresenius Kabi is a past recipient of the FDA’s Drug Shortage Assistance Award.
 
“We are very pleased to work with Vizient and its members to help prevent drug shortages, one of the most serious issues facing U.S. hospitals and the patients they serve,” said Scott Meacham, president, pharmaceuticals and devices, Fresenius Kabi USA. “Fresenius Kabi has built one of the most advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing and supply networks in America and has played an integral role in preventing past shortages of critical drugs. We look forward to partnering with Vizient on this important initiative.”
 
The Vizient Novaplus pharmacy program, which has more than 200 molecules and 760 product NDCs, has been serving members and the patients they care for by mitigating price spikes and minimizing the effects of drug shortages for more than 30 years through convenient access and consistent supply. The program utilizes sourcing expertise, market intelligence and purchasing data and analytics from more than half of the nation’s hospitals to bring predictive demand for contracted drugs to participating pharmaceutical manufacturers.
 
This new enhancement to the Novaplus program specifically targets those who manufacture critical care drugs. A key step forward in Vizient’s drug shortage mitigation strategy, this Novaplus contract enhancement is focused on three key pillars that support a more stable pharmaceutical supply chain:
 
• Transparency: manufacturing insights to promote stronger supply chain resiliency;
• Accountability: strengthened requirements to provide health systems with more seamless continuity of care; and
• Commitment to supply: increased predictability to support additional production.