CancerCompass message board discussion started by beinva on 1/28/2008 http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,20400,0.htm Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ Could someone that has taken the drug, Revlimid, tell me more about the cost of it.  My mother is 78 years old and has had MM for 2 years.  She has bee treated only with dex but now her protein levels are going up and they want her to add Revlimid to reduce the proteins. She was quoted  $9,600.00 for a month supply.  Is that correct?  My parents can not pay that much for the drug. Does anyone have any suggesions?  Please help!  I am not ready to let her go without giving all that we can give to fight MM. beinva Mon, 28 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT I thankfully have good insurance.  But your amount is in the ballpark of what my ins. company is being charged.   Texas43 Mon, 28 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT Thanks for responding.  i was so surprised to learn from my mother that this medication was that high.  Is it worth taking it with side effects from it and the expense?  They are on a limited income since they have not sold their home. How much time will she receive from the use of this medication? These drug companies are making so much money! beinva Mon, 28 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT Good Evening Beinva;I got the info below from Bloomsburg.com Besides showing better effectiveness, Velcade should cost about $35,000 to $40,000 for a course of therapy, compared with $70,000 for Revlimid, he said. I believe a normal course of therapy for Rev was 8 cycles. (This can be increased if the patient is showing little side effects.) The advantage Velcade offers over Rev besides the cost is that their study was with patients with a higher average age. I believe the age was 75 y.o. This may be the route to persue for you Take care;Kevin K. C. Mon, 28 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT My father has a suplimentary insurance and it was covered except for a co-pay.  You should contact the office of the doctors social worker and see what they can do for you.  Maybe they can send you to a website or something that is offering help.  Or contact the Multiple Myeloma foudation and see what they can do to help you.Anita my dad Mon, 28 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT Hi Beinva ~~  I am presuming that you are in the United States.  Is this correct?  I am in Australia, and when my doctor approached Celegene about getting the drug for me he was able to get it on 'compassionate grounds', which means no cost to me.  I have been on it for 18 months and it has been my saviour.  Only 10mg per month - for 21 days - with no side effects, and I haven't felt this good since I was diagnosed.  I have heard that 15months is about the optimimum period for use, but so far it is still working. Perhaps you can try this through your doctor where you live.  Just a suggestion.  Best wishes, Cath poppy/cath Tue, 29 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT  Thanks, Kevin.  I had no idea that medication would cost so much.  I will rely information to my mother.Belinda in Virginia beinva Tue, 29 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT Thanks, Anita, I will.   It is so scary when you have to pay out of pocket for these medications.  Belinda beinva Tue, 29 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT  On 1/29/2008 beinva wrote: Thanks, Kevin.  I had no idea that medication would cost so much.  I will rely information to my mother.Belinda in VirginiaGood Evening Belinda;Yes, they are expensive. But I don't know if it's the meds so much or the research involved that drives the cost upward.I believe the other posters here have presented you with some viable options to offset the cost. I recall reading somewhere that there was a program, perhaps with Velcade, that if you couldn't afford it and you get your Dr. to sign a form agreeing to not charge you for their services they would donate the meds. I know this sounds to good to be true but I do recall seeing this somewhere. I will check around. But you might be able to GOOGLE this info.Take Care;Kevin  K. C. Tue, 29 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT I went and contacted the mm foundation for you and they said to try and contact a place called the Patient Advocate Foundation.  The mm foundation spends all of their money on research.Anita my dad Thu, 31 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT Hi Beinva!  I know that I wrote earlier and told you that I was able to get Revlimid on compassionate grounds 18 months ago here in Australia, WELL... In an official announcement from Celgene on 22/1/08 the following was quoted in our MYNEWS Newsletter here in Australia:"Celgene Announces Revlimid Available on Compassionate Basis"  Australians with the blood cancer multiple myeloma have a brighter future with the treatment Revlimid (lenalidomide) now approved for marketing in Australia by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).  The manufacturer of Revlimid, Celgene, has announced that the product will be made available free to suitable patients through a  compasionate supply arrangement.   To read the consumer media release issued by Celgene in full visit the MFA website and click on Latest News.  www.myeloma.org.au Since this is now the case in Australia, surely you could approach Celgene in the States and see if 'compassionate grounds' is possible for you!!  Its only a suggestion -- nothing ventured nothing gained.  When I first suggested Revlimid to people here they thought it was impossible, but my wonderful oncologist decided to try....and the rest is history!!  Revlimid has been my saviour for the past 18 months, I know its not going to be this for everyone, but hey, its certainly worth a try.  And.. I take it neat -- no dexamethasone or any other drug with it!  Just 10mg per day and its brought my paraprotein/m-spike down from 90 to 8.5!!  Have a go -- what can you lose??!!  Good luck, Cath poppy/cath Thu, 31 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT if you pay for the first months medicine which is about $3500 every month after that should cost about $350. call caremark pharmacy at1 800-843-6601.Medicare or celgene will pick up the rest. wendylu Fri, 01 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT by the way maybe you have to get insurance for a $100 a month deducted from her disability check to ensure coverage. wendylu Fri, 01 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT  On 1/28/2008 beinva wrote:Could someone that has taken the drug, Revlimid, tell me more about the cost of it.  My mother is 78 years old and has had MM for 2 years.  She has bee treated only with dex but now her protein levels are going up and they want her to add Revlimid to reduce the proteins. She was quoted  $9,600.00 for a month supply.  Is that correct?  My parents can not pay that much for the drug. Does anyone have any suggesions?  Please help!  I am not ready to let her go without giving all that we can give to fight MM.My husband has just completed his 4th cycle of revlimid and it seems to have stopped the progression of his MM for now.  Without cancer insurance I don't know how we could have afforded it.  I have the toll-free number of the pharmacy in Raleigh,NC where we get the revlimid from.  You may find that they have some financial help.  The number is 800-850-4306.  Best of luck and I am praying for your situation Nelle Thu, 07 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT  My mother's doctor requested a grant or assistance from the manufactor of Revlimid. She received a telephone call from them and will be helping them out. We are so happy and celebrating more days that we will have with her!  Thanks for all your help!!!  beinva Thu, 07 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT Yes. It's extremely expensive. My mom lost her medicaid and couldn't receive it. She is on it now because of two things: one, I looked into a Medicare part D subsidy. She qualified and as a result, my mom paid $3 for the revlimid and then went into catastrophic mode and paid nothing for it. Unfortunately she lost her subsidy at the end of last year which leads me to... two, There is a foundation called the Chronic Disease Fund. It offers assistance to people with Myeloma and will take care of the copay for you if you qualify. This has enabled my mother to continue to take the revlimid. Good luck. Let me know what happens. MotherWMyeloma Wed, 27 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT My mother started medication last Monday.  She is paying 25.00 for it (when it is delivered) and now her insurance company is paying!  I hope that she will begin feeling better. Thanks for your message and concern! beinva Sun, 02 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT Since my mother has been on Revlimid and Dex., she has developed a horrible rash on her face.  Has anyone else had this reaction? beinva Sun, 20 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT