Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States each year, according to the American Cancer Society. Lung cancer accounts for about 20% of cancer deaths in the U.S. annually.
Still, the numbers are trending in the right direction. The number of new lung cancer diagnoses and the number of related deaths has trended down in recent years. Multiple factors contribute to this encouraging statistic – better detection, fewer people smoking, and improved treatment options.
Unfortunately, like with many cancers, access to those proven treatments can unfortunately be more difficult than it sounds.
Prescription Treatment Options for Lung Cancer
Treatment for lung cancer varies depending on things like the specific diagnosis (small-cell or non-small cell), the progression, and the presence of mutations (like EGFR, among others).
“Typical” treatments like surgery, intravenous chemotherapy, or radiation are common among lung cancer patients. But prescription medication has come a long way toward effectively addressing lung cancer, too.
Some common classes of prescription drugs for lung cancer include targeted therapy – a common treatment choice among patients with EGFR mutations – as well as oral chemotherapy and other specialty agents.
The EGFR mutation is relatively common in lung cancer patients, present in about 10-15% of cases in the United States, according to the American Lung Association. Treatments that address it, like Tagrisso, are often the first line of treatment for patients who have the biomarker.
Other treatments for lung cancers with certain biomarkers include Tabrecta (for a MET mutation) and Alecensa (for ALK-positive lung cancer).
The Cost of Lung Cancer Prescriptions
Prescription treatments for lung cancer have come a long way – and with quite a price tag. The retail price for some of the lifesaving drugs mentioned in this article are:
- Tagrisso – $18,000 to $25,000 per month, depending on dosage
- Tabrecta – $11,500 to $14,000 per month, on average
- Alecensa – $19,900 to $21,800 per month, on average
Insured patients are not immune to these prices. Consider situations like:
- A patient with a high-deductible plan may be faced little or no support for accessing these medications prior to meeting the deductible – which may be impossible in one lump sum;
- Some insurance plans carve out certain drugs or drug classes;
- Drugs with price tags this high almost always require a prior authorization – a potentially monthslong delay to treatment that can’t wait;
- Many plans require patients to pay for a percentage of their prescriptions, leaving them to cover, for example, 10% of that $18,000 Tagrisso – a sudden $1,800 per month bill.
If a patient has no insurance? Too often, those patients just go without.
Prescription Assistance for Lung Cancer Medications
Because these medications are so expensive, most drugmakers offer assistance like co-pay cards and manufacturer assistance programs. Assistance options for the specific drugs mentioned in this article include:
- Tagrisso – AstraZeneca Access 360
- Tabrecta – Novartis Patient Assistance Foundation
- Alecensa – Genentech Oncology Co-Pay Assistance
In addition to manufacturer support, many patients in need may be able to access patient assistance programs specific to lung cancer. These programs typically offer monetary grants to eligible patients to assist with out of pocket costs. Some of these programs include:
Unfortunately, programs like these have gaps or leave some patients behind. Co-payment assistance is only available to commercially insured patients. Manufacturer assistance applications can move more slowly than the patient’s treatment needs. Patient assistance programs accept applications at certain times, resulting in a potentially lengthy wait.
And those are the gaps filled by Medication Rescue.
Accessing Prescription Assistance Through Medication Rescue
Unlike most prescription assistance programs, medication rescue moves quickly. Patients who request assistance know within one business day whether their medications are available and if they can be legally sent to the patient’s resident state. When a patient’s medications are matched, they can be sent out as soon as the same day the rescue pharmacy receives the patient’s prescription – whether from a physician’s office or transferred from another pharmacy.
What kind of lung cancer medications are available through Medication Rescue?
The lung cancer prescriptions mentioned in this article are often donated. They’re in the form of a tablet or capsule; they aren’t considered controlled substances; and they don’t require refrigeration. When patients or their families find themselves with excess, usually through no fault of their own, they often seek to donate this valuable medication.
Some of the most commonly prescribed lung cancer medications available in RemediChain’s inventory include:
- Tagrisso
- Tabrecta
- Alecensa
When a patient receives medication from RemediChain, the drug is set aside for them as long as it’s available in inventory and as long as the patient needs it.
No matter what, every match is an opportunity for the patient to access treatment quickly and at no cost to them – whether it’s allowing them to access treatment while awaiting a prior authorization; offering proof of medical necessity amid an insurance denial and appeal process; providing treatment while the patient awaits manufacturer assistance; allowing for continuity of care after funds on a co-pay card have been exhausted prior to the end of the year; or any number of other situations.
Why are costly cancer prescriptions like Tagrisso available from Medication Rescue programs?
Most of the time, donated medications are available for reasons outside the original patient’s control. At RemediChain, half of donations are available either because of a sudden treatment change or when a patient passed away prior to opening the medication. Other factors may include poor side effects or a multi-month fill after a prescription changed. Click here to learn more about why medications go unused.
Are these donated medications safe for patients to use?
Absolutely.
- Only unexpired medications sealed in the manufacturer’s original packaging are eligible for donation. The prescriptions are mint condition.
- Every donated medication at RemediChain goes through a 14-point safety inspection by a licensed pharmacist prior to being added to inventory. Open bottles, loose pills, medications with clear physical degradation, expired medications and others that don’t pass inspection are always sent for proper pharmaceutical disposal, never shared with patients.
- Medications are dispensed with valid prescriptions, just like any other pharmacy.
Ready to Donate Meds? Need Prescription Assistance?
If you have unused prescription medications used to treat lung cancer, they may be eligible for donation to help a patient in need. Click here to get started. The form takes just a few minutes to fill out.
If you or a loved one needs help to access lung cancer medications, click here to access RemediChain’s patient registration form. Insurance status has no bearing on a patient’s eligibility.
