Contributions
Abstract: EP1426
Type: ePoster
Abstract Category: Clinical aspects of MS - 9 Economic burden
Introduction: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients who are prescribed disease-modifying therapies
(DMTs) may lack access to their medication for reasons such as interchangeability from providers, copayment costs, pharmacy requirements, provider requirements, insurance coverage changes and restrictions. The consequences are associated with poorer adherence and increased risk. There is a need in Latin America to understand MS patients' perspectives on access barriers to DMT medication.
Objectives: To describe and to analyze problems for accessing DMTs in Latin America.
Methods: Responses were obtained from nine countries (Argentina, Bolivia Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela) regarding four main questions: 1) How do patients resolve their DMT access issues? 2) What are the clinical and ethical consequences of DMT access barriers? 3) Who is involved in helping patients access their DMTs? 4) What percentage of patients access their DMTs?
Results: 6/9 countries: neurologist non-expert confirms diagnosis and decides treatment. Time diagnosis-treatment: 7/9 countries 4-6 months; 2/9 time was longer (8-12 months). Between 90 and 100% of patients access their DMTs in 7/9 countries; however, in 3/9 countries the Social Security decides what treatment patients need, according to the cost. This means that many choices are made between innovative and -generic drugs differing from what the neurologist prescribed, which impacts on clinical and ethical issues. Some of the countries have more than three generic version available for some innovative drugs. We discuss the ethical issues at the time of decision-making regarding treatment.
Conclusion: Every country represented in this Latin American forum needs to understand who is responsible for managing the risks of a given treatment. One of the most important aspects of this new era of generics, biosimilars and follow-on drugs is not only the cost but also what place the expert has in making decisions on treatments.
Disclosure:
A. Carra; Y. Fragoso; MA. Macias-Islas; J. Steinberg; C. Carcamo Rodriguez; JC Duran Quiroz; Alessandro Finkelsztejn; J. Garcia Bonitto; R. Leon Aponte; G. Orozco; C. Oehninger Gatti; A. Tarulla; D. Vizcarra Esobar; C. Vrech: nothing to disclose
Abstract: EP1426
Type: ePoster
Abstract Category: Clinical aspects of MS - 9 Economic burden
Introduction: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients who are prescribed disease-modifying therapies
(DMTs) may lack access to their medication for reasons such as interchangeability from providers, copayment costs, pharmacy requirements, provider requirements, insurance coverage changes and restrictions. The consequences are associated with poorer adherence and increased risk. There is a need in Latin America to understand MS patients' perspectives on access barriers to DMT medication.
Objectives: To describe and to analyze problems for accessing DMTs in Latin America.
Methods: Responses were obtained from nine countries (Argentina, Bolivia Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela) regarding four main questions: 1) How do patients resolve their DMT access issues? 2) What are the clinical and ethical consequences of DMT access barriers? 3) Who is involved in helping patients access their DMTs? 4) What percentage of patients access their DMTs?
Results: 6/9 countries: neurologist non-expert confirms diagnosis and decides treatment. Time diagnosis-treatment: 7/9 countries 4-6 months; 2/9 time was longer (8-12 months). Between 90 and 100% of patients access their DMTs in 7/9 countries; however, in 3/9 countries the Social Security decides what treatment patients need, according to the cost. This means that many choices are made between innovative and -generic drugs differing from what the neurologist prescribed, which impacts on clinical and ethical issues. Some of the countries have more than three generic version available for some innovative drugs. We discuss the ethical issues at the time of decision-making regarding treatment.
Conclusion: Every country represented in this Latin American forum needs to understand who is responsible for managing the risks of a given treatment. One of the most important aspects of this new era of generics, biosimilars and follow-on drugs is not only the cost but also what place the expert has in making decisions on treatments.
Disclosure:
A. Carra; Y. Fragoso; MA. Macias-Islas; J. Steinberg; C. Carcamo Rodriguez; JC Duran Quiroz; Alessandro Finkelsztejn; J. Garcia Bonitto; R. Leon Aponte; G. Orozco; C. Oehninger Gatti; A. Tarulla; D. Vizcarra Esobar; C. Vrech: nothing to disclose