Let's get this PASSED in Pennsylvania
My hat is OFF to any politician that can help create this GREATLY NEEDED program here in Pennsylvania !
I am just a person, like many of you reading this newly established Blog. I have been involved for many years with families dealing with Cancer and only this past year found myself trying to help my wife in her fight against Cancer.
Very early on, we grew to understand how important our health insurance was in enabling us to in most cases, obtain her much needed medications which truly enhance her chance of longer term survival. We also have met other families who are not as lucky and they have little or no insurance and they simply have no chance at ever obtaining certain medications that may give them the edge in their own fight for survival.
On one occasion, we had recently filled a prescription for a drug only to have the dose and injection type change, making the medication safely stored in our home refridge useless to us. To make matters worse, upon asking her Oncologist to recommend a patient to whom we could give this to, we learned that a practice such as that is not legal here in our great state of Pennsylvania..........one of the discussion groups I belong to provided me a person in need, she has the same exact type of Cancer and is using the exact medication and dose.
After much consideration and desire to provide these perfectly new and unopened medications to this person, we made the decision to NOT do it out of fear of violation of the law. It amazed us that the Oncologist was not permitted to do this either ( although I know that some doc's do this as indicated to me by others in my research ).
Think for a moment, about a time when a patient dies after obtaining a quantity of medications that are simply destroyed by the family because they have no legal way to pass them on to another person in need.....I assure you that this happens each and every day in every part of Pennsylvania on a regular basis.....what a shame.
Something has to change and this is about as grass-roots as it gets, we are individuals and we are going to make enough noise to get this done. Upon talking to State Rep. Tim Solobay, D-Washington ( our county ) and explaining this clearly to him, asking why our state could not do what others have done, create a Cancer Drug Repository through which donated cancer drugs could be dispensed to uninsured patients and those in need, he assured me he would look into it.
Being true to his word, he did just that. Less than a week later, he contacted me to let me know he discovered that state Sen. Rob Wonderling, R-Bucks, had introduced a similar measure (S.B. 460). He contacted him and they are on the same page....completely for this getting passed in whichever side it can, in an effort to help others in need. On February 23, 2006, Rep. Solobay introduced (H.B. 2482) .
This is a great thing and my hat is off to the both of them as well as their co-sponsors.......thank you for trying.
Now is the time that we as Pennsylvanian's need to come forward and tell our story ( use the comment link below ) as it relates to this cause, sending a clear messege to those in power, " We need a Cancer Drug Repository established in Pennsylvania " and we need it now !
I ask you to post here and tell others to do the same, creating a combined effort to at least give someone we do not even know, a better chance at living. Perhaps at seeing their daughter get married or son graduate, or the birth of a grandchild.....think about how important these events are in your life and that will help you understand how important they are to someone else.
I will be adding to this blog in time and please, speak your mind in an effort to show how important you think this can be.
If you wish to look at other states and their programs, try this link for details:
http://www.dhmh.state.md.us/pharmacyboard/legislation/summary.pdf
Thanks,
Michael
Please feel free to email the chairperson of each committee to encourage them to move on this isse !
jcorman@pasen.gov = Senate Chair
gkenney@pahousegop.com = House Chair
posted by Michael @ 11:04 AM
14 comments
14 Comments:
As long as there are strict controls in place, I support Michael's quest for a Cancer Drug Repository bill in the state of Pennsylvania. There was a time when I had no insurance coverage or free access to my cancer drug for one month, and it set me back several thousands of dollars for one treatment. A drug repository may have helped me.
Kathy Yost
As a nurse in Washington, Pennsylvania, I see patients everyday who struggle to get much needed medications and can not. I have also had to dispose of pain medications at my home because my husband could not take them. It seems a terrible waste when I know another patient could benifit from our no longer used medications. I support the idea of a drug repository. Why would anyone be against such a thing??? Good Luck, and I will post this issue at work. Sincerely, Kelly Cross
I support all of what Michael has to say, and I have done a little research myself in "leftover" medications in another health issue.
Trashing the medications, and even sealed, brand new supplies of all kinds are horrific!
Suffering because you can't get the medication is a tragedy of humanity.
We MUST get this PASSED in PA!
Karen
My mom was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer - she lives in Holland where no one is denied medication and everyone is insured. I support the Drug Repository Bill in PA and hope it passes.
Michael,
I have insurance through my job and needed it for my cancer treatment.
I'm aware that a large percent of people may not have insurance but still need the healthcare drugs.
Please pass the drug depository bills that help all of our citizens with their drugs. Please, just imagine if you or a family member needed them for the fight against cancer?
Sincerely,
JohnE
A patient and survivor.
Common sense would dictate that this proposed drug repository would be created immediately. With the cost of healthcare increasing at double digit rates for the past decade, more and more individuals cannot afford the cost of needed medications. Complicating this situation is a rapidly growing aging population requiring more drugs on a daily basis. The laws of supply and demand work against us given this reality, driving the cost of drugs even higher. While controls and proper administration of this program would be required, it would go a long way to reduce the cost of care for many and promote life-sustaining therapy for those truly in need. Let's hope our legislators can use common sense as opposeed to politics to make pragmatic decisions for the good of their constituents.
I think a Drug Repository is a wonderful idea. Working with people whom have little resorces, I know how important this can be. I'm passing this on to everyone I know.
This sounds like a worth while project and should be supported as long as it is well regulated so that the true patients in need can access these drugs.
I think that a Drug Repository is a wonderful idea! My aunt had cancer and, although she had insurance, it did not cover all of the medications that she needed. She was blessed with friends who held fundraisers to raise enough money to help her pay for her prescriptions. After she passed away, we had to throw away countless perfectly good drugs. What a shame when we knew others were in as much need as she had been. Unless people have been there themselves, they don't necessarily realize the need for a program like this. I really appreciate the efforts Michael is making to get this passed. We all need to show our support.
Diann Hooper
In 2000 my mother died from Ovarian cancer and we miss her everyday! She also had to struggle to get the medicine she needed because she didn't have insurance. She never complained to us about her pain and even though she knew she was dying soon held her head up and smiled everyday at Molly ,(grand-daughter) the love of her life.We to flushed numerous drugs down the toilet along with her diabetes med. We definatley need this Cancer Drug Repository I am here to help do anything we can.
When my sister died from cervical cancer, I watched as her hospice nurse opened and diposed of at least hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars worth of medication that we no longer needed. Such a waste. This situation applies to all kinds of medications, not just cancer drugs. Having a drug repository for unused drugs would help so many people. This is a bill that definitely needs passed.
Dear Michael,
Congratulations on garnering wide support for a very worthy initiative. A cancer drug repository is a laudable goal.
I hope that the legislators in Pennsylvania will pass such an act. As a patient, I have also had many experiences where my prescription changed and I was left with extra, unused drugs that had to be thrown in the trash.
I encourage the legislators, however, to learn from the examples in Colorado and Wisconsin. It seems that a difficult balance must be struck.
On the one hand, restrictions on the drugs that may be reused are vital to ensure quality. Such restrictions include, for example, that the only drugs acceptable are those in original, sealed packages or that come in single-dose sealed packages. Patients in need should not have to compromise on quality.
On the other hand, such restrictions will drastically curtail the number of drugs available to patients in need.
I encourage the legislators to work with the pharmacy board and to learn from other states how best to implement this objective.
Best regards,
Nancy O'Hagan
This has finally been set up in PA, take a look at www.PAcancerdrugs.com
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