Health Boards
Wed-14-10-2020, 22:43 PM
(Wed-14-10-2020, 20:41 PM)Fred Wrote: Dare I say it's a fault of the makers or the USA health system. Here in France you can not get more than your prescription says.
For me I get one shot of Tremfya every 8 weeks, if I ask for two shots from my pharmacie they will refuse unless my doctor writes a new prescription.
So either the maker of the treatment or the whole system is to blame for letting a patient have more than they need ?
When I was on Humira (if my memory serves me well it was two shots per month) but I was only allowed to collect one shot at a time. The only one I remember getting more often was Enbrel which I think was two shots per week but I couldn't get 4 shots.
No offence intended to you or your health system, it's just my thoughts on why our members from the USA often ask the question about passing on their unused treatment
No offense taken.
I will admit that I love that I can get a 90 day supply of medicine that I take daily and will most likely take the rest of my life. Much more convenient than possibly running out of meds while I try to get a refill. Although most of my prescriptions are for 30 days with 3 refills before needing a new prescription. Also, most prescriptions I get are the "take until all medicine is gone" variety so I rarely waste oral meds. Although I did get a 3 month supply on an expensive inhaler that I had a coughing reaction to so that was wasted.
As for the injections for psoriasis, since they are so expensive then it really doesn't make sense to get a 3 month supply at one time (as that was what they sent me) because the dermatologist took me off of it. But you are correct Fred that the waste comes from being able to get advanced dosages. I'm thinking since the pharmas get money from the insurance it's a sale to them whether you take or dispose. Not totally sure why insurance would be okay with it other than less work for them to approve multiple doses at a time vs every use. The pharma doesn't get to decide how much a patient gets, that is from the doctor. Doctors see patients once every 3-6 months usually for follow ups here so I think they prefer writing (or calling in) the prescriptions so that you don't have to call or contact them in between visits. Just my guesses on why it is the way it is here.