Pharma considers distributor model to navigate reimbursement pressure

Commercial outsourcing is emerging as a potential strategic enabler for the pharmaceutical industry, according to a panel discussion hosted by distributor DKSH Australia. The discussion comes as companies navigate increasingly complex reimbursement challenges, resulting in fewer medicine launches and organisational restructuring.

Industry research conducted by DKSH found that 90% of executives already outsource some part of their business, while more than 60% have increased outsourcing over the past three years.

The panel discussion brought together perspectives from David Henderson, Franchise Head Specialty, Oceania at Takeda; Adrian Dunstan, Vice President APAC Sales & Marketing at Telix Pharmaceuticals; and Steven McBrien, General Manager Healthcare ANZ at DKSH.

Asked whether commercial outsourcing could make relationships with clinicians and patients more transactional, akin to those in retail pharmacy, McBrien said specialist medicines demand a fundamentally different approach.

“The key difference in commercial healthcare outsourcing from a retail pharmacy model is that specialist medicines still require high-touch engagement, clinical confidence, and strong governance,” McBrien told Health Industry Hub. “Outsourcing should not replace those relationships. It should enable manufacturers and healthcare professionals to focus more effectively on patient outcomes, education, and appropriate access.”

The growing role of private health insurers is another area of interest, including whether emerging funding pathways could move Australia closer to a US-style managed care model.

“Private health funds may have a greater role where therapies fall outside PBS reimbursement, but this should be seen as complementary rather than a replacement for Australia’s public reimbursement system,” said McBrien. “The Australian challenge is using market mechanisms to drive efficiency to ensure any private market pathway remains transparent, clinically appropriate, and aligned with equitable patient access.”

The role of clinicians in supporting patient access to non-PBS therapies is also important to explore.

“Clinicians are increasingly helping patients understand expanded treatment options, compassionate access programs, private funding pathways and emerging therapies that may not yet be PBS listed. Particularly in oncology and rare diseases, clinicians are becoming navigators of a broader treatment ecosystem,” Ravi Santani, Global Head of Medical & Regulatory Affairs at DKSH Healthcare told Health industry Hub. “Industry can support this through medical education, patient support services, real-world evidence generation and access programs, while ensuring that treatment decisions remain entirely clinician-led and patient-focused.”

For pharmaceutical companies, expanding commercial outsourcing will reshape the capabilities required of internal commercial, marketing and medical teams. It may also signal a structural shift towards a New Zealand-style model, where many companies maintain limited in-country presence and rely primarily on local distribution partners.

“What may change is the mix of capabilities required internally. Companies may choose to use partners for scalable execution, field deployment, analytics, omnichannel engagement or specialised medical services,” explained McBrien. “In that environment, internal teams become more focused on setting direction, integrating capabilities, and managing performance.”

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