About 1 in 8 American men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetimes, according to statistics from the American Cancer Society. It’s the second-leading cause of cancer death in men, behind only lung cancer.
The good news? When caught early, prostate cancer does not have to be a death sentence. Patients who access proven treatments can often live a relatively normal life.
The problem is, access to those treatments can too often be more difficult than it sounds.
Prescription Treatment Options for Prostate Cancer
A number of treatments exist for prostate cancer. The exact regimen is specific to factors like how quickly the tumor(s) grow, whether it has metastasized to other parts of the body, and the patient’s overall health.
“Typical” treatments like surgery, intravenous chemotherapy, or radiation are common among prostate cancer patients. But prescription medication can be a valuable piece of the treatment puzzle. Some common classes of prescription drugs for prostate cancer include:
- Hormone blockers – These medications work by blocking the production of specific hormones that may fuel a tumor’s growth. A variety of medications exist in this category, the most common of which include a group of inhibitors like Zytiga, Nubeqa, Xtandi and Erleada. This class also includes specialty drugs like Orgovyx, a hormone receptor agonist.
- Targeted therapy – Some prescription medication works to interrupt a specific part of the cancer’s growth. For example, PARP inhibitors like Lynparza block the PARP enzyme, which prevents the cancer cells from repairing themselves when damaged.
The Cost of Prostate Cancer Prescriptions
The prescription treatments available for prostate cancer work – but they come at an often prohibitively expensive price. The retail price for lifesaving drugs like Nubeqa, Xtandi, Lynparza, Orgovyx and Erleada can be $15,000 or more per month.
Insured patients are not immune to these prices, either. 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 – this happened to Craig Thompson, whose plan would not cover specialty medications;
- 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 $15,000 price – a sudden $1,500 per month bill.
Prescription Assistance for Prostate 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:
- Zytiga – J&J withMe
- Nubeqa – Access Services by Bayer
- Erleada – Erleada withMe
- Lynparza – Access360 by AstraZeneca
- Xtandi – Xtandi Support Solutions
- Orgovyx – Orgovyx Support
In addition to manufacturer support, many patients in need may be able to access patient assistance programs specific to prostate cancer. These programs typically offer monetary grants to eligible patients to assist with out of pocket costs. Some of these programs include:
But too often, those programs 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.
Prostate Cancer 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 prostate cancer medications are available through Medication Rescue?
Most prescription prostate cancer medications taken at home are in the form of a pill. They do not require refrigeration, they are not controlled substances, and they are frequently dispensed from pharmacies in the manufacturer’s original packaging. That means, when unopened, they are likely to be eligible for donation – and when patients or their families find themselves with excess, they often donate the unused doses.
Some of the most commonly prescribed prostate cancer medications available in RemediChain’s inventory include:
- Zytiga
- Nubeqa
- Erleada
- Xtandi
- Orgovyx
- Lynparza
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 start 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 prostate cancer prescriptions 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 prostate 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 prostate cancer medications, click here to access RemediChain’s patient registration form. Insurance status has no bearing on a patient’s eligibility.
