Comments on: Beg, Borrow, or Steal: A Search for Affordable Prescription Drugs

By: Veronica

Veronica — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 19:13:41 +0000

I’m glad that you were lucky enough to get the drug companies to supply you with what you need, so many people aren’t aware that this is even an option. Some people know about patient assistant programs (helps pay for prescriptions), but don’t know where to start since there are literally hundreds of them. One place I found that helps is a non profit corporation at http://patientassistance.com/. They’ve gathered tons of information about most of the programs, and make it convenient to find one, understand the program,and even apply.

By: BL

BL — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 19:01:33 +0000

Former pfizer sales rep turned post-bacc pre-med -from a “behind the scenes” perspective, pharma is one ugly, despicable business (took me a few years to figure it our because of all the brainwashing that takes place internally). The manipulation taking place should be stopped immediately patients are being put at risk. Even the most astute dedicated, patient focused MD has the possibility of giving into the manipulation that representatives are conducting daily. Companies spend millions and millions of dollars on training tactics -we would sit in rooms for 10hrs a day for a week discussing each MDs concerns, aspirations, personality, motivations, etc in order to be able to persuade them more appropriately to our agent vs. the competition. I am appalled that this practice is still allowed to happen – check out Money Talks: Profits Before Patient Safety at http://www.moneytalksthemovie.com.

By: anon

anon — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 03:30:07 +0000

Unfortunately, KB, in today’s environment we often need to see at least 4 patients per hour to “keep the lights on.” We must review the patient’s previous information, complete the history, do a physical exam, perform medical decision-making and write up all of our findings and arrange prescriptions, referrals, tests, and follow-ups–this within 15 minutes. At the same time, reams of phone calls and faxes such as refill requests, patients’ questions, rejections from insurance companies for medications not on their particular formularies, etc., etc., pile up on our desks.

In the past, I have tried to guide patients to these programs, but even a full 15 minute appointment was often not enough to fill in all the paperwork they expected me to do. The office could hire more personnel to help, but that means of course that we must see MORE patients in the same amount of time in order to pay more salaries and benefits.

I used to think things were simple, and if folks only cared more and tried harder, we as physicians could take care of everything for all our patients. Then I hit the real world, or I guess it hit me!

By: Kim Butler

Kim Butler — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 23:36:04 +0000

I graduated college a year and a half ago with plans of going on to medical school or PA school. In the meantime, I’ve been serving with AmeriCorps(like a domestic PeaceCorps) at a community health center in Milwaukee. Every day, I assist uninsured, low-income patients to obtain medications treating numerous diseases and conditions, ranging from asthma, depression and diabetes to Hepatitis C and cancer from pharmaceutical company-sponsored patient assistance programs. Being in this position has truly opened my eyes to the plight of the medically uninsured and underinsured. There is free or low-cost medication out there for the taking, if only those who need it know where to find it and how to gain access to it.

Unfortunately, in my experience, it seems that many clinicians either have little or no knowledge of these programs themselves or are too busy to help their patients to do the necessary leg-work to gain entrance into them. All those out there who are just beginning their careers in medicine or pharmacy, take the time to at least learn about what’s available in terms of medication assistance. Your responsibility shouldn’t just end with writing a prescription…if your patient cannot obtain the medication you prescribe because of financial burdens, they will continue to suffer.

For more info on Patient Assistance Programs, check out: http://www.rxassist.org

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 18:47:46 +0000

Just out this week: Poor and uninsured patients are the ones least likely to get those “free” drug samples

http://www.acponline.org/weekly/2008/1/8/index.html#samples

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 03:37:39 +0000

“Free” drug samples are anything but free. Pharmaceutical companies keep close tabs on the value of the samples that they distribute to physicians, and they factor those marketing costs into the price of their drugs. Those samples are a marketing tool, not a charitable donation.

When patients need a medication for a chronic condition (HTN, DM, psych disorders, etc), and the physician starts them on a more expensive brand-name medication (instead of a cheaper and more appropriate generic that works just as well) because they have some samples in the cupboard, they do their patients a disservice. When the patient runs out of the samples, in order to keep taking that med, he/she will now be stuck with the burden of that huge pharmacy bill (like the $595 per month for Seroquel mentioned above).

On the other hand, the Patient Assistance Programs that many pharmaceutical companies have, through which patients can receive needed medications for free if they financially qualify, are a much better alternative to free samples. Such programs allow patients to obtain needed meds, but without creating undue influence on physicians to prescribe inappropriate drugs.