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What is a Patient Support Program (PSP)?
Some drug manufacturers offer free patient support services for patients who have been prescribed their product.
These PSPs vary, but typically provide:
One-on-one
private counselling
- Via telephone or online
- Usually given by a
qualified nurse - Instructions or training
for how to take your
medication
Resources and
recommendations to
support your treatment
Financial support
and assistance with
insurance forms
PSPs often include advisors to help you navigate insurance reimbursement and identify financial assistance programs
Switching to a generic at the pharmacy could make you ineligible for PSPs
Your pharmacist knows that out-of-pocket costs can be a barrier to treatment and they may automatically switch your prescription to a less-expensive generic drug.
However, some patients and doctors prefer brand name products for a variety of reasons, and your pharmacist may not be aware of your preference. Your phamarcist may also not be aware of the additional benefits to you of any patient support program offered by the brand drug manufacturer.
Decisions of treatment switches to generic drugs may occur without the pharmacist's knowledge of the financial benefits programs offered by drug manufacturers to help cover any cost difference between a brand and a generic drug. You may be able to receive the brand you prefer at a price similar to generics.
Some drug manufacturers offer financial benefit programs that will help cover any cost difference between their product and generic alternatives — ensure you discuss these programs with your doctor and pharmacist
Do PSPs help with MS treatment?
Integrated care and support services like those offered by a manufacturer’s PSP can be quite valuable to patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).
Many MS treatments fall into a class of drugs called “disease-modifying therapies,” or DMTs.
In one recent study of specialty pharmacy medical records, similar services were shown to improve DMT adherence.1
The impact of care and support services on
DMT adherence
DMT adherence
Who
653 patients diagnosed with multiple sclerosis who filled prescriptions for DMT through the Vanderbilt Clinic
What Services
The clinic provided integrated support services, including:
- Direct contact between the prescribing doctor and pharamcist
- Help with insurance authorization and financial assistance
- Counselling and patient education, in person and by telephone
What Happened
Most patients were able to successfully stick to therapy as prescribed (what doctors call ”adherence,” as defined by guidelines endorsed by the Pharmacy Quality Alliance)
When patients used available financial assistance and/or had $0 out-of-pocket costs, they were even more likely to stick to treatment
Discuss with your doctor whether your prescribed MS treatment includes access to a patient support or financial benefit program, and whether you should request brand medication at your pharmacy.
Check your knowledge!
What did you learn?
True or false?
My pharmacist will always give me brand
name products if there is a manufacturer
program to get brand at a price similar
to generics.
Not true! Your pharmacist may or may not be aware of such programs offered by brand drug manufacturers and their patient support programs!
You should discuss financial benefit and patient support programs with your doctor and pharmacist prior to being automatically switched to generic.
That’s right! Your pharmacist may or may not be aware of such programs offered by brand drug manufacturers and their patient support programs!
You should discuss financial benefit and patient support programs with your doctor and pharmacist prior to being automatically switched to generic.
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References:
1.Banks AM, Peter ME, Holder GM, et al. Adherence to Disease-Modifying Therapies at a Multiple Sclerosis Clinic: The Role of the Specialty Pharmacist. J Pharm Pract. 2020;33(5):605-611. doi:10.1177/0897190018824821.
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