Patient Assistance and Support Programs
Schering-Plough is committed to improving the health and well-being of people throughout the world. In fulfilling that commitment, we are developing new treatments and programs that assist patients in achieving their best possible therapeutic outcomes. In the United States, an important part of this effort involves helping patients through our patient assistance and patient support programs.
Schering-Plough believes that the pharmaceutical industry needs to address the challenges facing low-income, chronically ill, underinsured and/or other uninsured people who cannot access the prescription medicines they need to improve their health. We support efforts to increase access, and are committed to assisting patients in need to obtain treatment. We continuously evaluate our patient assistance programs for their ability to do the most good for the most people. We intend to maintain and, to the extent financially prudent, expand our programs.
Patient Assistance
Schering-Plough assists patients in securing drug reimbursement as well as providing lifesaving drugs at no cost to people with low incomes through our patient assistance programs.
Informal patient assistance programs have been in place at Schering-Plough since the early 1980s. Today, patients can apply for assistance through two programs: Commitment to Care (1-800-521-7157), which covers our cancer and hepatitis drugs; and Schering-Plough Cares (1-800-656-9485), which includes our other prescription drugs. In 2008, these programs provided more than 70,000 patients with over $100 million worth of free Schering-Plough products.
Patient Support
Be In Charge is a free patient support program designed to provide education and support to people diagnosed with hepatitis B or C who are receiving Schering-Plough's PEGINTRON (peginterferon alfa-2b) Powder for Injection or INTRON A (interferon alfa-2b, recombinant) for Injection therapy.
People enrolling in Be In Charge benefit by having access to specially trained nurses and educational materials to help them understand their condition and its therapy. If participants choose, a nurse counselor will call them periodically to answer their questions and assist them with side effect management. Participants who wish will also receive educational materials with tips to help them remain on therapy. Be In Charge has helped thousands of people since its inception.
To find out more about Be In Charge, call toll free: 1-888-437-2608.
All of Schering-Plough's patient assistance and support programs are administered on behalf of the company by outside organizations. Patient eligibility for Commitment to Care and Schering-Plough Cares are determined case by case based on financial and insurance criteria. Schering-Plough reviews its patient assistance and support programs periodically to ensure that they are meeting the needs of both patients and the physicians who treat them.
For more resources go to:
The Partnership for Prescription Assistance helps qualifying patients without prescription drug coverage get the medicines they need for free or nearly free.
Its mission is to increase awareness of patient assistance programs and boost enrollment of those who are eligible. They offer a single point of access to more than 475 public and private programs, including nearly 200 offered by pharmaceutical companies. They have already helped millions of Americans get free or reduced-cost prescription medicines.
