Nicholas J Graham

Drugs, drugs, and more drugs . . .

• Nipent (by Hospira) is in Phase III for graft vs. host disease.
• orBec, has had the FDA application submitted.  It’s made by DOR BioPharma and Sigma-Tau.
• Prochymal, made by Osiris Therapeutics, in Phase III
• Prograf, made by Astellas, application submitted

What wonderful news.  To my knowledge, there are few if any drugs and/or treatments specifically indicated by the FDA for GvHD.  Perhaps these can be fast-tracked for approval and get out there so that we can have more tools in our arsenal against this insidious disease.  God give us strength.

Speaking of drugs.  I just printed off a medication co-pay list from Kroger for the National Marrow Donor Program co-pay relief fund and see that I paid out-of-pocket $588 during the last 90 days for 38 prescriptions filled!!  The insurance portion was $7,000!!! That is just for 90 DAYS!  No wonder our money is tied-up.  That’s about $300 or so a month just in drug co-pays, notwithstanding doctor co-pays, which would add another $100 or more a month.

Therefore, I am paying around $400 a month just on CO-PAYS!  Good golly Miss Molly!

I am extremely thankful for the assistance funds that are out there like the Healthwell Foundation (has a non-Hodgkin’s and CTCL disease funds), the Patient Access Network Foundation (same thing, non-Hodgkin’s and CTCL funds are available), the National Marrow Donor Program, and others.  However, it looks like this year I may be denied funds from both the Healthwell and PANF foundations since my drugs are less disease-related and more symptom-related, which does not qualify for either of their funds.

The idea is that you have to have active treatment specifically for your disease, not drugs and treatments for the side-effects or maintenance of your well-being such as antibiotics and the like. Thankfully, both do cover Prednisone!!

Well, we shall see if I qualify this year for their programs.  I certainly hope so as it has made the difference for the past 2 years.  If not, I’ll search out other programs, but since I am working and have good health insurance it is unlikely I will qualify for many (if any) other programs.

If you know of any others that I could qualify for, please let me know!!

Ciao for now,

Nick