The truth about Apokyn.

Discussion in 'Vernalis' started by Anonymous, Aug 6, 2008 at 9:07 PM.

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  1. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    Here we go.

    1. When Apokyn works it works well. The problem is you do not know which patient will be successful... Which patient's blood pressue will drop 10-20 points.. Will the patient pass out... Will the patient throw-up.. If something goes wrong, which it often does, it can take 45 mins for the patient to come around enough to leave the office.

    2. Physician's make money by turning rooms. The most neuro appt. are 15 min. and you will be in the room at least 45 mins without issues.

    3. It the patient did well, now you have the issue of the cost of the drug. Yes many insurance companies do cover Apokyn and that is great news. But here is the bad news. Many companies require the patients to pay 25% co-insurance. Many patients will pay $75.00 per cartridge- the cartridge can last a few days or up to 7 days. Many patients paid $1,500 per month for their Apokyn. Most with stop using Apokyn after a few months. The more they use the more the drug costs.

    4. Physicians become very upset when the patient does well, but then can't afford the cost of the drug. If a patient did not do well, the physician is really upset when the patient paid out of pocket for something that did not work.

    5. Part of the IC plan, was based on patient refills. So if a patient bought 5 cartridges and then when into the d hole- and only bought 2 cartridges you would be short and would need another patient to buy 3 additional cartridges for you to break even.

    6. Yes the base is very high, but keep in mind.. this will be the 3rd company that has tried to sell Apokyn..
     

  2. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    Not too bad a synopsis above. One factor forgot:
    - One of two things happen in the treatment of PD symptoms:
    1) A physician knows they can bring Apokyn in as their "Ace in the Hole" once all else fails. So.. All else has to fail before they bring Apokyn in. Which means by the time a patient is tried on Apokyn they have become increasingly fragile, suffer from greater immobility & have give up on getting better and living a normal life - So - play doctor and convince this patient to self-inject 3-4 times/day while spending 50% of their available income on these injections.
    2) Physicians know they can accomplish almost the same responsiveness (Yes.. with a few more S-E's, with a much less expensive and easier oral sinemet regiment. So they have to crush/ingest pills every two-three hours.. Sinemet is cheap. So they get stuck for 15-20 minutes here or there. So they get dyskinetic from med levels.. Sinemet is cheap.. and tablets are easy.
     
  3. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    I launched this pos drug with bertek and I can't believe from the other posts that docs are still not writing it.
     
  4. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    I couldn't agree more with the first 2 posts... this garbage does not work and when I worked with the patients I got to the point where I told them to look into tweeking their regular PD meds and check out DBS. Happy to be away from kissing the rep's ass and from putting my license on the line.
     
  5. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    Look: Stick with the facts.. We could argue the intangibles of the drug or other PD tx's until we're all blue in the face - Here's what no one can hide from. Less than 25% of patients who actually get thru the Enrollment/Initiation/Order/Reimbursement/Delivery and Maintenance process --ever take a 2nd dispensing and stay active on the drug. Above all else -- If the drug had the benefits this loser Sales Team wanted you to sell and stand behind with your customers - Patients would stay on the drug at a higher than 23% nationally rate -- FACT! Even with the high OOP, Even with AE's, even with the BS front end process and dose escalations/injections.... If it truly worked well and changed Quality of life... More than 23% of patients started would continue. It's real simple folks.. Find a new life!! I would love to be challenged on this point.... Anyone... Buehller ???
     
  6. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    A favor here a favor there and things could have gone differently.
     
  7. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    I wish I did not have to discuss nausea and vomiting
     
  8. anonymous

    anonymous Guest

    Apokyn saved my life! Rigidity and stiffness caused my lung muscles to not adequately expand and contract. I was in respiratory failure!
    I'd run through regular Parkinson's meds.
    Apokyn restored me to normal respiration from the first! It turned out the bonus was I can walk normally during the on periods.
    It so fun to walk normally and briskly five times a day! ( without Apokyn I struggle with a walker and can not dress myself)
    Apokyn has been used in Europe with the pump for 15 years. There is in a US clinical trial going on right now, those that qualify could you see if you can try it for no charge,
    My health insurance didn't blink, they saved my life and paid for it without question, I was never denied. I'm so grateful!
    Everyone gets her own version of Parkinson's.